


The Outlaw

by Miss_Grotesque, Whimsical_Fantasy (Miss_Grotesque)



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comfort, Family, Friendship, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Protective Siblings, Sibling Love, Snusmumriken | Snufkin Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23220013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Grotesque/pseuds/Miss_Grotesque, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Grotesque/pseuds/Whimsical_Fantasy
Summary: While on his way back to Moominvalley after his usual winter travels, Snufkin gets into trouble with the law and this time, it might not be so easy to escape...
Relationships: Lilla My | Little My & Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Muminmamman | Moominmamma & Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Mumintrollet | Moomintroll & Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Snusmumriken | Snufkin & Everyone
Comments: 40
Kudos: 147





	1. 1

Somewhere in the distance he heard the piercing scream of a fox. It was cold despite his old blanket. He hadn’t dared to lit a fire. The chance that he might be seen were still far too high. They could still catch up with him if he wasn’t careful and chose the right paths and shortcuts.  
In fact, he hadn’t want to sleep at all, but clearly his body had had other plans. After running for so long, he had simply collapsed into the bush, burying himself from sight in the fresh, green leaves. The ground was dry and the leaves would protect him from rain. He fell into restless slumber, haunted by unsettling dreams.  
He wasn’t exactly known for being a nervous person and it wasn’t the first time he had been on the run. But this time felt different. Pulling up a few signs here and there… that was nothing, but this…  
He clutched the blanket until his knuckles whitened.  
He hoped none got hurt.  


_____ _

_____ _

________ _ _ _ _

___ _

_____ _

_____ _

**About 12 hours earlier: ******

********

It was a far too lively city, Snufkin thought to himself as he absentmindedly wandered towards its centre. People fussed about in a certain way that made him think that they were preparing for some big festival or the like. The buildings were being decorated with fine garlands and flowers and creeps were sweeping the streets. The air hung mild and smelled of burnt sugar. Someone was making candy. The smell was so delicious that he began looking around for the candy maker, but couldn’t spot him. Instead he noticed that some of the inhabitants were staring questionably at him, as if asking: ”Why aren’t you helping?” Snufkin grunted and disappeared into the shadows. As he kept walking along the walls, a Sniff-like creature scurried past him with a whole load of goods in their arms.  
”Excuse me!” Snufkin. shouted The Sniff-kind were usually friendly so maybe he could ask it what was going on.  
The creature stopped abruptly and in doing so, accidently dropped all its things to the ground.  
”Oh no!” it cried and at once he was on all four to collect them again. Snufkin walked up to him.  
”I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to surprise you.”  
”It’s alright. It happens all the time.” The creature seemed to have trouble collecting his things as well. Each time he succeeded in picking some of them up, he dropped something else. And when he bent down to pick that thing up, he dropped everything and had to start all over again. The creature whined and fussed nervously with its frantic paws.  
”Can I help you?” asked Snufkin.  
”Oh.” The creature looked up at him, a big smile forming on its soft face. ”Yes, please!”  
They ended up sharing the stuff between them and started walking again.  
”Where are we going?” Snufkin was carrying a box that smelled of newly baked buns, and on top of it a spider web of entangled ornaments and layers of purple silk.  
_At least none is staring now _, he thought with a huff.  
”Sorry, did I forgot to tell you? I am to deliver these things to the baker house close to the mansion.”  
”What mansion?”  
The creature looked at him and raised an eyebrow.  
”You don’t know?”  
Snufkin shook his head.  
”That was why I stopped you. To ask what everyone here is preparing for.”  
The creature lit up as realization dawned upon him.  
”Ah, I see! You’re not from here? Well, it’s the major’s birthday today and there’s going to be a big garden party at his mansion tonight! There’ll be champagne and food and fireworks and a speech and…” He went on talking but Snufkin only listened with half an ear after the mention of ”garden party”. It was partly because he felt like he had to lead the way, even though he had no idea where this mansion or baker house was. The little creature would often run into the street with no thought whatsoever and nearly being run over on several occasions, had Snufkin not pulled him out of the away. They crossed a square with a huge statue in its middle.  
”That’s him!” the creature cried and pointed. ”The major!”  
Snufkin looked. The sunlight marked the statue’s silhouette, where it towered over the other nearby buildings. This stone version of said major was a tall, rather lean figure with long, looming ears and long, neat whiskers. Yes, they had even cared to make the whiskers out of stone. It was a fine piece of work.  
”What’s he like, the major?” The statue might look nice, but Snufkin always carried a certain scepticism towards authority figures.  
”What he’s like?” said the creature. ”Ehm… well, he’s alright, I guess.” Then he leaned closer and whispered in Snufkin’s ear:  
”It’s his guards you want to look out for!”  
”Hm”, said Snufkin, but the next second he caught sight of high gates raising up towards the sky and he could just make out the walls of a big, white building inside them.  
”Is that it The mansion?”  
”Yes! Yes! Yes!” The creature jumped up and down with joy. Of course he dropped some ornaments in the process and before he bent down to pick them up, Snufkin beat him to it and quickly handed them over.  
”Thank you!”  
The creature pointed to a street corner, from which the most lovely smell emerged.  
”That’s the baker house!”  
”Yes, I see that.” Snufkin had noticed it already. A sign in the shape of a huge pretzel waved at them, and towers of bread and cinnamon buns tempted them through the windows. The house itself had a yellow-ish colour, bleached by many years of weather and resembled nearly the colour of a light baguette.  
The baker came out to greet them and Snufkin got a small paper bag of fresh buns as thanks. That was a most welcome gesture, since Snufkin hadn’t have anything to eat that day yet, except for a very light breakfast consisting of nuts and oatmeal.  
”Are you coming to the garden party tonight?” asked the creature. ”It starts at six!”  
Snufkin hadn’t really thought about that. Truth be told, he wasn’t too uninterested. Exploring other places were part of why he traveled so much, after all.  
”I don’t know. Maybe”, he said thoughtfully. ”Does one need money to come?”  
”Entrance is free”, said the baker. ”But the food and other activities inside usually costs.”  
Snufkin didn’t mind that. Of course, to afford food might have been nice, but he could always eat before going.  
He decided that he would take a stroll by the gates at six o’clock. If the party looked inviting, he would go in. Otherwise… well, he would just pass.  
With that thought in mind he said goodbye to the baker and the creature and went to search for a suitable camping spot. There was still the whole afternoon to go before the clock striked six.__

____

____

Between a few high rocks just at the end of the town, he made camp. Or well, he didn’t put up the tent straight away. Mainly he wanted a place to stay until the evening. He wasn’t even sure yet if he would stay the night. The spot he had chosen though was discreet and hidden from any curious glances. Also, there was a small stream of excellent, clean water hidden behind the very same rocks. The pouring sound made Snufkin thirsty and he drank mouthfuls of fresh, cold water. Then he sat down on the soft grass and opened the paper bag of buns the kind baker had given to him. A delicious scent filled his nostrils. The buns were still a bit warm and when he dug his teeth into one he felt the taste of sweet, butter baked bread. With newfound appetite he gulfed down two of the buns and saved the other two for later. Smiling with content, he took out his pipe.The sun warmed his face as he lay down and closed his eyes to the blue sky, while breathing out rhythmic puffs of clouds. Maybe he should put the tent up? Or maybe it could wait… If he wasn’t going to stay it would just be an awfully unnecessary amount of trouble. And although this town seemed alright enough, he prefered to camp out in the wilderness. Much more calm that way and at the same time, so much more excitement… adventures, just waiting to be had.  
He wasn’t that far from the forest. Perhaps he should go on and set up camp there after the garden party? Yes, that might be better.  
After that he must have nodded off because he woke up to the sound of music and cheers. The sun was on its way down and the moon was slowly taken its place.  
It seemed like the party had already started. But the time couldn’t be more than six, if judging by the sun’s position. He stretched and got up. He brushed the grass off his pants and collected his things together before going off into town again.

He was met by a long queue outside the gates. He couldn’t really see inside because of the high, very neatly cut bushes. Snufkin disliked them instantly. Although the music that came from somewhere behind those bushes, sounded rather nice and all around there was laughter and the sound of drinks being poured into glasses.  
By the gates there were also two guards standing on each side, neither one of them looking even the slightly bit amused. Snufkin wondered if it was forbidden. They were hemulens of course, Snufkin thought to himself ironically. Large and stern-looking creatures in uniforms and they checked every guest as they went in. When it was Snufkin’s turn they looked at him sceptically.  
”And who are you?” one of them asked, fixing his gaze on him.  
”I’m Snufkin”, said Snufkin.  
The hemulen’s gaze searched him slowly, until it came to rest on his backpack.  
”What have you got there?”  
”Just my tent, blankets and food supplies.”  
”I see. May I have a look?”  
It was not a question, but Snufkin cooperated nonetheless. He had nothing to hide. He handed the guard his backpack and waited somewhat impatiently as it was searched through. When it was obvious that the bag did indeed belong to none else than a simple tramp, the hemulen handed it back.  
”Alright, then. You may enter.”  
”Thank you.”  
Snufkin hurried pass them and entered a sort of organized chaos. Children were running around, waiters wandered about carrying trays of high champagne glasses with the same grace as first class ballerinas, people danced to the music, they raised their glasses in one cheer after another and in the middle of it all was a small stage, on which an orchestra played energic, rhythmic party scores.  
”Would you like a drink, sir?”  
Snufkin nearly jumped. A waiter had sneaked up on him without notice.  
”Ehm, yes, please.”  
He was given one of those glasses and he took a sip. Well, not too bad, he thought. The drink had a beautiful golden colour with bubbles raising to its surface.  
He began looking around for the creature he had met earlier that day, but couldn’t seem to find him. There were too much people. In lack of something else to do, he slowly walked near the stage to be closer to the music. That part was at least nice.  
”But Mrs Hemulen, I just want some candy! Please?”  
At that small, piercing voice, Snufkin turned around and his eyes fell upon a large group of kids under the charge of an elderly hemulen.  
An orphanage, he thought and automatically felt angry, even though he knew nothing about this particular orphanage in question. His own encounters with the park keeper, the tales from Moominpappa’s youth and not to speak of his own, secret experiences as a child, had given him a very bad view of the whole thing with orphanages and hemulens as a combination.  
The child who had asked for candy, didn’t give up so easy.  
”Please?” it begged over and over. ”Just a polka stick, please?”  
”Actually, I wouldn’t mind a polka stick either…” another little voice added.  
Snufkin saw the old hemulen get red in the face. A kind of face that he himself probably would have feared, had he been that young. She grunted and turned around. Looking down at the children, she spat in their faces:  
”Stop that pathetic ’please’! For goodness sake, I gave you bananas this very morning! And you liked them, didn’t you? What do you need some stupid candy for? It’ll only destroy your teeth!”  
Snufkin huffed and the children whined. But unfortunately the hemulen heard him.  
”What’s the matter with you, young man?” Her eyes burned into him behind her glasses. Snufkin felt only a little uncomfortable. She wasn’t in charge over him, after all.  
”I could buy them some polka sticks if ma’m can’t afford it”, he said confidently. He could, actually. Polka sticks weren’t expensive. Not the smaller ones. Or he could buy them a box of candies to share. Yes, that he could afford even with his very limited economy. And it was a sacrifice he found that he would do more than happily.  
The hemulen snarled.  
”Such rudeness! Has none learned you basic manners?”  
Snufkin frowned.  
”I’m sorry, but I can’t see how that’s your business.”  
The hemulen let out a grunt, but didn’t say anything. A little girl pulled at her skirt.  
”Mrs Hemulen, the polka sticks you know…”  
”Quiet, child!” The hemulen raised a paw and slapped the girl over her face.  
In that moment, Snufkin could have done the same to the hemulen. Actually, he could have slapped her more than once and show the others what a disgraceful guardian she was. And then those poor children hopefully would get rid of her. But where would they be put instead? To another orphanage with another bitter old hag to slap them around?  
He didn’t hit her, of course he didn’t. But instead, in a brief moment of flaring anger, threw the remains of his drink straight in her face. The hemulen gasped, shocked by the action. Her paws flew up to her head to try and wipe the sticky, sweet liquid off.  
”You don’t beat children”, he said, shivering with tension. ”That if anything, we do _not _call basic manners.”  
”How dare you…” She launched at him and Snufkin stepped away. ”You’re none to tell me what I can or can’t do!”  
”What’s going on here?” a stranger’s voice interfered from nowhere. Both Snufkin and the hemulen looked to their right and there stood a guard, towering over them.  
Oh, why did he have to turn up now?  
”Well, this young mumrik here is bothering me and my children and threw cider in my face, that’s what’s going on!” the hemulen shouted.  
”No, that’s not-” Snufkin began, but the guard interrupted him:  
”Is that so? Well, then, come here little tramp-”  
Before Snufkin had a chance to move away, he was grabbed by the arm and sharply pulled against the guard. He let out an involuntary ”ouch” as the big paw grasped around his thin, upper arm.  
”It wasn’t like that!” he cried as he struggled to get free. “I only threw the cider at her because-”  
”If I were you, I’d be careful with the words.” The guard gave him a merciless shake, making his arm ache even more. In the corner of his eye, Snufkin was able to just make out the blurry shapes of another guard closing up. They were going to drag him off.  
”I’ll leave willingly on my own if you just let me go!”  
”Well, I’m not so sure you should be on your own. The old hemulen here is right. You look rather young…”  
_No, no, no, no, no! _As he realized that they might not simply throw him out the gates and then leave him be, Snufkin gave the guard a mighty kick in the crotch. The guard hissed in pain and let go of Snufkin, who wasted no time. He immediately took off at full speed towards the gates. Behind him he heard the same guard shouting:  
”After him! After him!”  
Everywhere guests were in the way. Snufkin zig-zagged through the crowds with one goal in mind: getting away. He pushed them aside, jumped over creeping kids on the ground and slipped in between tall people’s legs. How the guests reacted to this new chaos, he didn’t have time to think about. The only thing he thought about was how to get away. There were guards waiting at the gates as well. Perhaps, if he could just hide a little in the crowds, he would win enough time to climb over the fence…  
Quickly, he changed course and aimed at the neat bushes instead. But he was too fast. He ran into the waiter who had served him earlier and one of them must have pulled over the nearby cresset that marked the beginning of the lawn, because then there were high screams as the grass took on fire. Parents rushed to save their children and in the midst of this new, horrible turn of events, Snufkin stopped. Only for a few seconds though, before he launched at the bushes before the fire did and frantically climbed up the fence. Sitting there at the top, he dared to glance back at the garden, his heart pounding violently. He didn’t see anyone on the grass. Everyone seemed to be safe… But the bushes would soon catch fire and so he jumped down and was on the other side. Finally. The street that laid ahead of him was dark, empty and a welcome fog had settled over the town. He ran. Ran and ran. He thought he still heard cries of: ”After him!” and the sound of hurrying feet chasing him. But he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was all in his head. Panting, he ran into the fog, not daring to look over his shoulder. He didn’t stop once until he was out of the town and protected by the trees of the forest. Lovely, wonderful forest! He stayed off the paths and walked as quietly as he could. Without knowing for how long, he walked and walked, until his body finally gave in and he collapsed in a thick bush.____


	2. Chapter 2

”Well, there you are, little bastard.”

Snufkin jerked awake and was met by two hemulens standing right over him. One of them he recognised. It was the guard he had kicked the day before. The other was a police inspector.

How, how on earth had they found him here? How?

”Let’s see”, the hemulen inspector said, arms crossed. ”Disorderly conduct, abuse of staff and arson. That’ll be approximately two years in prison.”

Snufkin swallowed. He stopped breathing. Two years in prison? Two whole years? Sure, he knew he had managed to escape a prison before, it wasn’t as if he dared to count on that every single time. 

After all, he didn’t know where they would take him. What kind of prison it would be.

He was yanked by the collar and pulled to his feet. Before Snufkin had had a chance to collect himself enough to react, he was stripped of his backpack and after that the inspector grabbed his arms and cuffed them behind his back.

”I arrest you on those crimes which I just mentioned. You may speak if you wish, but bear in mind that everything you say might be held against you.”

“I… I didn’t do any of those things”, Snufkin managed to say. It wasn’t entirely true, but the truth had obviously been twisted to look bad in his favor. 

“Ha! Try as you might. We have a whole bunch of witnesses who claim they saw you put the major’s garden on fire. The same goes for the mentioned abuse and disturbing mrs Hemulen and her orphans.” 

“She beat those orphans! What I did to her was nothing!” Snufkin snarled. 

“Yeah yeah, we’ll see about that.” The inspector turned to the guard:

“Open the bag and turn the bag upside down. Look for any thefts.” 

“Don’t tire your eyes”, muttered Snufkin, and got a merciless shake. The guard did as he was told and poured out all content from the backpack. Out fell the paper bag of buns, the old saucepan, a spoon and a fork, matches, a beautiful seashell from the last summer in Moominvalley, a coffee cup, a blanket, a jar of honey and other small boxes and bags of saved food and nourishments. 

The guard and the inspector looked almost disappointed and that pleased Snufkin just a tiny bit in the face of his otherwise poor prospects. At the very least he didn’t give them the satisfaction of being a thief. 

“Seems like it's nothing here”, said the guard in a boring tone and turned away from the stuff spread out on the ground. 

The inspector snorted, then responded with a nod towards Snufkin.

“Alright, take him.” 

The guard stepped forward, bent down and took a firm grip around Snufkin's legs, and threw him over his shoulder. His old, beloved green hat fell off. Snufkin watched it land on the ground by the bush he had been sleeping in.

”My hat!” he cried, but was met with dry laughter.

”You won’t be needing that now”, the inspector scoffed.

”No”, the guard chimed in. ”In prison you’ll be given new clothes, be sure of that.”

Snufkin’s eyes widened in horror. New clothes? Prisoner clothes? That was new. That hadn’t happened before. It scared him. What would happen to his old, ragged, comfortable garments? Would they throw them away? His harmonica which lied in his right pocket, would they take that too? Would they take everything and throw it away, just like his hat and the backpack and way the threw around with him? And what if he couldn’t break out this time?

He stared helplessly at his hat as he was being carried off. Soon it looked like nothing more than a little green spot of fabric and then it was gone. Snufkin felt like crying, but he couldn’t do that. Not in front of these… fools. He refused to call them anything else because that’s what they were. Fools. There. Simple.

”I can walk by myself”, he grunted..  


”No, can’t risk you running off again, can we?” the guard tightened his grip around his legs and in doing so, restraining Snufkin’s movement completely. 

They carried him back to town, although not the same way they had come and thankfully there weren’t many people around as they crossed the streets, finally ending up outside a big stone building.  
Snufkin couldn’t see it until they let him down just outside the door though, having been hung over the guard’s shoulder all along. There, the guard took off and left Snufkin alone with the inspector. The inspector held him by the cuffs and unlocked the door. Inside that door there was another door and then another… each had different kinds of locks, Snufkin noticed. It felt useless trying to argue now. They had already made up their mind. Decided that he was guilty. So he obediently followed, all small and quiet. His wrists hurt.

As soon as they entered, it was immediately colder. In front of them was a square shaped, grey reception with a grey-clad fillyjonk sitting behind. She looked up from her papers at the sight of them and Snufkin noted the little cloud of dust that fell from her hat.

”Well, what have we here? Trial?”

”No”, said the inspector.

”Ah, first door then. Here are the papers.”

She handed over some papers and a pen. The inspector hummed to himself and began filling out the forms. Of what, Snufkin had no idea but he suspected that it had to do with him. 

”I need you to write your name at the top.”

Snufkin looked up in surprise and the inspector looked down at him, seeming annoyed for no apparent reason. He undid the cuffs and Snufkin was able to inspect his hands for a second. His wrists were raw and sore. Since the desk were rather high for being a desk, he couldn’t quite reach enough to see what he were doing. As if frustrated by this, the inspector sighed and lifted him under the armpits.

”There”, the fillyjonk pointed at a spot at the top corner of the paper. Reluctantly Snufkin took the pen and eyed through the document the inspector had been filling out:

Prisoner number: 135  
Name:  
Species: mumrik.  
Accused of: Arson, Disorderly conduct upon civils, Abuse of the major’s staff.  
Found: Guilty on all crimes above.  
Sentence: Prison for two years.

Was that supposed to be him? Arson? Disorderly conduct? Number 135…

”Come on! We haven’t got all day!” the inspector’s voice rang.

”I’m not guilty”, Snufkin found himself saying. He realized he was shaking so badly he barely managed to hold the pen.

”None of you ever is”, responded the hemulen. ”Now, write your name.”

”But this is not me. I told you about the old hemulen! And I only kicked the guard because he wouldn’t let me go and he had no right to hold me back-” He had started a rant without thinking. Slowly but surely, fear had began to settle inside him and it didn’t help that all while saying these things, he was still being held by the armpits, feet not even touching the floor. 

“Quiet!” the inspector thundered. He pointed to the paper. “Just write your name!”  
Snufkin did not.

”Right then. Tell me your name and I’ll write it for you.” 

”There’s always the species and number”, the fillyjonk cut in. ”His name isn’t really that important as long as we know those two things.”

”Yeah”, the inspector agreed. ”You’re right. I’ll add the name later.”

With the paper in one hand and a grip on Snufkin with the other, he lead the way to a heavy, grey door. 

”Where are we going ?” Snufkin asked. In the other prison he had once been in, they had practically just threw him into a cell and that was it. This establishment however, seemed to be more complex. It worried him to no end that he didn’t know at all what to expect behind that door. But he’d have to wait and see what the cell looked like until he gave up the possibility of escaping.

”We’re going to the photographer”, said the inspector and unlocked the door.

So many locks…

They were met by a white, clear light in a room that was completely white, except for the furniture. Against one wall there were several box looking things, standing next to one another. All in white and of different size. In front of the white boxes was a camera ready on a high stand and behind it, a hemulen. He was obviously doing something with the camera, pressing buttons here and there and mumbling a little to himself while doing so. But when the inspector came with Snufkin, he abruptly stopped and looked up. He wore glasses and white clothing, like a doctor.  
The inspector handed over the papers and the photographer went and did something behind his desk in the other end of the room. Soon there was the sound of a printer and then the photographer returned. He gave Snufkin a small tablet with his number, name of species and the date, then ordered him to stand by the boxes against the wall.

”They are for smaller creatures”, the hemulen explained and placed himself behind the camera again. ”You’re tall enough. You’ll stand on the floor. Hold the tablet in front of you and look into the camera.”

Snufkin obeyed. There was a bright flash and he blinked

”And now, in profile.”  


Snufkin did as he was told and there was another flash. It felt weird. Everything felt weird. Why were they taking photos of him like this? He had heard about it somewhere, but just vaguely; about prisoners being photographed. A sort of modern method. But he didn’t know why.

He was grabbed by the shoulders again as the inspector started leading him towards a new door with a new lock. They stepped once more into the same greyness as the reception, but this time they faced many shelves filled with what looked like piles of yellow and red fabric. There was a small reception and, of course, another hemulen. The hemulen took one look at Snufkin from head to bottom, and then turned around. From the shelves he picked a pile of red and yellow fabric and Snufkin could now see that it was not merely fabric, but some kind of clothes. At once he was horrified. He didn’t want to change. His old ragged clothes was all he had left now when his hat and backpack and freedom was gone. He couldn’t change his clothes too. And why would he have to do that, anyway? They could lock him in just as fine with him wearing sin own clothes, for goodness sake!  
The inspector took the pile and handed it to Snufkin with one word:  


”Change.”  


He didn’t offer any sort of cover. He simply asked him to change right then and there, in front of the two strange hemulens.  
But Snufkin didn’t lift a finger to receive the pile. He just stood there like frozen to the floor.  


”I can have my own clothes”, he said as confidently as he could muster, but felt his paws trembling and a shiver went down his spine, screaming with red flags throughout his entire body.  


”No”, the inspector said coldly. ”In here you wear this, like all other prisoners.”  


”But why?”  


”Because that way, it’s much easier for us to keep an eye on you lot. Now, change!”  


Snufkin stared at the red clothes with yellow stripes that lay in the inspector’s paw and couldn’t bring himself to take them. A small voice in his head told him it would be best to just obey this time as well, but his instincts seemed too strong. His whole body turned into a big _no _.  
__

__”I don’t want to change. I like it this way, thank you very much.”  
_ _

__”Oh, why make such a fuss?” the inspector sighed and then something happened that would haunt Snufkin’s dreams for months to come. The inspector and the other hemulen stepped up to him and one of them tore his green coat apart in the back so, sending buttons fly. Snufkin gasped as he realized what was going on. For a long moment, he was unable to move. Long enough for them to rip off the coat entirely. Then he somehow found voice and began to kick and scream frantically:  
_ _

__”Let me go! What right do you have to do this? Let me go!”  
_ _

__At least in that he still felt confident. There was no way in the world that they were actually permitted by law to do this. They surely had overstepped a limit now. His pipe, harmonica and pocket knife all scattered across the floor and Snufkin desperately reached for them, but was harshly pulled back.  
_ _

__”Keep still!” shouted the inspector. The paws around Snufkin’s limbs were tight and would form bruises later on. He was grabbed from behind as the inspector’s paws enfolded around his skinny chest to keep him in place as the other hemulen undid his shoelaces with quite a lot of trouble, since Snufkin didn’t stop fighting. When the hemulen was done with that, the boots were thrown aside and the hemulen went to pull off his socks and trousers. The little mumrik screamed, but none except his perpetrators heard him and when they had stripped him of every garment, since they found that everything was old and worn, they forced him into some new underwear and that horrible red one-piece. Yes, it actually appeared to be a one-piece with buttons up front. Snufkin had stopped fighting by then, so they didn’t really have to hold him still anymore. Although he might have collapsed on the floor from the shock had they not.  
After that everything turned into a blur and went very fast. Snufkin sank to his knees as they finally let him go, but was pulled up by the collar. He heard the inspector say something about ”March on” and he was pushed out of the room and into another. There he was put into a chair and someone cut his hair until it was no longer than an inch. With a blurry sight he watched thick strands of brown hair falling into his lap and onto the floor.  
_ _

__He was lead through a long corridor.  
Grey.  
Clanging sounds echoing.  
Cold.  
A cell.  
Locked in.  
_ _

__He turned around to see the inspector leave. At last he was gone. Snufkin turned his head to look at his cell. There was a narrow cot in the furthest corner, a sink, a small wooden table with a chair and a curtain hanging from the roof beside the sink, probably covering a toilet.  
Snufkin stumbled to the cot, grabbed the blanket and curled up under it as close to the wall as possible. He lay there with his face to the wall, his nose barely touching it.  
He could look for a way of escape later. Right now his body was shaking so badly he could barely walk. He felt dizzy, humiliated and and he covered himself completely in the blanket, wanting to hide and disappear. And a thought that wouldn’t stop nagging at him in the back of his head, began to scream louder yet again:  
What if there was no escape? What if he really had to spend his next two years in here?  
Not until then, did he start to cry._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to write. Sorry Snufkin :(


	3. Chapter 3

“WAKE UP!”  
Moomin shot straight up like a snapped bed spring and stared out at nothing in particular, eyes big as pancakes.  
“Little My!”  
The little mymble laughed mischievously where she sat upon his belly.  
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead!”  
“You know, you could make me deaf this way!” Moomin rubbed his poor ear. Little My had screamed right into it without mercy. She giggled at his self-pity and jumped down onto the floor. Moomin stretched and rose. At once he remembered something important and rushed to the window. He looked out at the green landscape with a searching gaze of lingering hope. Little My sighed.  
“Don’t bother yourself. He’s not here.”  
She was right. There was no tent by the river and no mumrik sitting on the bridge and no distant sound of an harmonica. It didn't surprise Moomin any longer, and that too was sad.  
“But he should be here! Where is he? It’s been four weeks!”  
“So? He’s been late before, hasn’t he?”  
Little My turned around and darted for the door.  
“First one to the kitchen?” she teased, but got no response. Moomin hadn’t left the window. Bored by this she took off alone, not caring if he followed or not. Moomin heard her small feet flying down the stairs and with heavy fest he turned around and made his way down as well.  
In the kitchen he was met by the usual smell of strong coffee and something being fried. He was a little surprise upon discovering that his mother weren’t making pancakes for a change.  
“Good morning dear”, she greeted him and placed another waffle on a big plate. ”There. That was the last one. Could you put this on the table?”  
“Sure, mamma.”  
Moomin took the plate with both of his paws and placed in the middle of the table. Little My was already in her seat, knife and fork ready in each paw. As soon as the plate touched the white cloth, she quickly reached out and snatched a waffle. Moomin slumped down in his chair and automatically helped himself with a waffle too. He reached out for the jam when the other door opened and Moominpappa emerged, looking very much as if he just woke up.  
“Good morning my dears.”  
“Good morning, pappa”, said Moomin while picking at his food. Little My was too busy eating to say anything.  
Moominpappa sat down in his usual old chair and then Mamma made them company by first serving her son coffee. Moomin didn’t see her face, but she was studying him with a worrying glance.  
“What’s the matter, love? You look a little down in the dumps today.”  
“Ha!” cried Little My. “What do you think?”  
Moomin threw her a grimace.  
“Snufkin isn’t here yet”, he said. ”It’s been spring for a whole month now and he's still not here. What if something has happened? Something awful, that keeps him from coming?”  
Those kind of thoughts hit him every time Snufkin was late, be it a few days or weeks or months. Of course, most years he was right on time by the bridge and of course Moomin knew that Snufkin was very well capable of taking care of himself. But even so, he traveled alone… if something _did _happen, there might not be anyone around to help.  
Those were the thoughts that wandered through Moomin’s head right now, and Mamma was very quick in wanting to reassure him.  
“I’m sure he’s alright. You know Snufkin can manage just fine. He’ll turn up. He’s probably just a little late. Now, eat your breakfast.”  
She seated herself beside him and helped herself with some breakfast as well.  
“Also”, she added in a more hopeful voice. “The day has only just began. Who knows? He might turn up before sunset.”  
“That’s right, my son”, Moominpappa cut in and put down his newspaper. “He’ll be here soon.”  
“Anything interesting in that today?” Moominmamma cast a glance at the papers. Pappa shook his head.  
“No, just misery. And even more misery…” He took a sip of coffee. “I long for Snufkin to tell us about his winter travels. That’ll be much more interesting.”  
“There you go!” Little My cried, looking at Moomin. “You’re not the only one longing for Snufkin!”  
Moomin saw through that instantly: she was actually missing Snufkin too, but would never admit it. He drank his coffee and poured some jam on top of his waffle. He was about to start cutting the waffle when he, through the window, caught sight of a blue, sturdy figure walking at a quick pace towards the house. Moomin immediately recognized him.  
“Mamma! Pappa! Look!” he shouted. ”The inspector is coming!”  
“Oh, it seems you're right!” Moominmamma gazed out the window. ”I’ll make some more coffee then.”  
She took the kettle and went back to the stove. Moominpappa rose and joined Moomin and Little My by the window.  
“I wonder what this is all about”, said Moomin, getting more and more curious by each second.  
“Yes, me too. This is very odd.” Moominpappa put a closed paw to his chin like he often did when in a thoughtful mood. Little My smiled.  
“Maybe there’s been some gory crime somewhere and he wants my help in finding the culprit?” she suggested.  
But none got the chance to give an answer to that because the inspector was now knocking on the door. Moominpappa went to open it, closely followed by Moomin and Little My.  
“Hello inspector. Please, step inside.”  
“Thank you, Moominpappa.” The inspector politely removed his helmet (a rare thing for him to do). A smile passed between Moomin and Little My as they remembered that time when the witch had once put a spell on said helmet. But their smile lasted only seconds as the air was filled with seriousness again. The inspector fidgeted a little with his helmet.  
“Well”, said Moominpappa. ”How can we help you?”  
“Ehm...” The inspector cleared his throat and forced himself to stop fidgeting. “There is something I wish to talk to you about, you and Moominmamma.”  
“Wait!” cried Little My. “What about me and Moomin?”  
Right then, Moominmamma emerged from the kitchen.  
“Hello, inspector”, she greeted kindly. “Would you like some coffee?”  
“Oh, yes please. That might be a good idea.”  
The inspector followed Moominmamma into the kitchen and Moominpappa hurried after them. After him came Moomin and Little My, both very afraid to be left out. Moominpappa turned and stopped them by the threshold.  
“You wait outside. This is for me and Moominmamma only.”  
“But pappa, please!” begged Moomin.  
“Yeah, when finally something happens!” Little My added.  
“The inspector asked specifically to speak with me and Moominmamma exclusively”, Moominpappa said sternly. “And I think you ought to respect that.”  
Little My glared at him and then she shot a piercing glance at the inspector.  
“Hey! Does this what-you’re-going-to-say really concern only Moominmamma and Moominpappa? And not us?”  
She had a point, Moomin thought. There were rarely anyone who came to talk to just one or two of them, and over the years he had come to understand that if something concerned his parents, it usually concerned him as well. If not, of course, may it be that the inspector wanted some sort of advice regarding a problem of his own. But even if that was the case, Moomin would wish to be able to help.  
The inspector met Little My’s eyes and frowned as in deep thought, like he was properly considering her question.  
“Well”, he said finally, ”I guess that if I’m correct in what I’m thinking, it does not. Only concern them, I mean.”  
Moomin and Little My looked at each other with a silent, mutual and triumphant _“Yes!” _passing between them.  
“So we may come in?” Moomin asked.  
“Yes, I guess you may”, the inspector sighed in defeat.  
Moomin and Little My quickly scurried to their seats and leaned forward towards the inspector, eager shining in their eyes.  
“You shouldn’t look so happy. What I’m about to say isn’t anything funny, I’m afraid.”  
“It’s not? What is it then?” asked Little My.  
“Oh, dear”, Moominmamma sat down in her chair with the kettle still in her paw. “What’s happened?”  
Moomin waited restlessly. His feet kicked air under the table, faster and faster.  
The inspector took a sip of his black coffee and looked into the cup.  
“Thank you, Moominmamma, this was exactly what I needed.”  
Then he put the cup down and straightened a bit.  
“Uhm, let’s see, where should I start… Well, I think you should know before I begin, that I’m not entirely sure about this. I might be wrong, so I don’t think it would be wise to wire oneself up too much.”  
“Got it!” cried Little My. “Now get to the point before I get bored again!”  
“Right”, the inspector cleared his throat again. “Yesterday I got a call from an old colleague of mine. He’s an inspector in a city called River Town not too far away from Moominvalley. I had been asking him for some old records from their archives. Their institution is a big one, nothing like my own little station. Very well, after I got my answers on that matter I went to ask him about what was going on in his area of late. Just out of curiosity, you know. Since there are many police officers there, they also have a lot more crimes than we do here. So, he told me there had been a case with someone setting fire on a garden party at the major’s!”  
“My goodness!” explained Moominpappa.  
“How awful”, Moominmamma chimed in.  
They both looked rather shocked by this. In such a peaceful place as Moominvalley, people simply weren’t used to those kind of things.  
“Did they catch the one who did it?” Moomin’s curiosity got the better of him. Within himself he was beginning to wonder how this could have anything to do with them. But the tale was intriguing nonetheless.  
“Yes…” the inspector extended the word for unknown reasons. “And that’s where I get doubtful, you see. And if I’m honest, a bit worried.”  
“Why is that?” said Moominpappa.  
“Well, according to my former colleague, the culprit is now behind lock and key at the local prison. This town happen to include one of the biggest prisons there is around. It’s very modern and secure, from what I’ve heard.”  
“But that's good, isn't it?” Moominmamma asked. She looked very confused with her raised eyebrows and big eyes.  
They all looked questionably at the inspector, who hesitated a little before continuing.  
“I suppose I’d better get to the point that worries me”, he said. “You see, I got a rather detailed description of ’the culprit’ during that chat. The fact that an inspector would spill out such information to me without a second thought, I found slightly unnerving. Since I’m not involved in the case in any way, I’m not entirely sure he’s permitted to do that.”  
“Please tell us show he described this culprit”, Moominpappa urged. ”And why it worries you.”  
The inspector then did something that sent a cold chill down Moomin’s spine. He turned his head and looked out the window, right at that very spot which Moomin himself had been gazing at for the last month.  
“It was a mumrik”, he said. ”Young and dressed in ragged green clothes. Messy brown hair. Apparently he also wore a green hat and kept a harmonica in his pocket.”____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again! Another chapter!  
> Like many of you here, I don't have English as my first language and I find it tricky to describe surroundings sometimes. Writing dialogue is usually much easier! So, if this takes time it's probably due to the fact that I want the grammatics to be as good as possible and I spend time re-reading chapters and edit them.  
> I was a little unsure of what Moomin should call his parents. (Suddenly I forgot every fanfic I've ever read and what he says in them xD) But since their "names" are simply Moominmamma and Moominpappa, I decided to go for the swedish words "mamma" and "pappa" instead of mum/mama and dad/papa.


	4. Chapter 4

“But that’s Snufkin!” Moomin burst out of his chair, unsure of what to do with himself at this new, horrid information. ”It has to be! But…” He clutched his head as he tried to puzzle things together. ”But he would never put a garden on fire! He only pull up signs!”

“Yeah, Moomin’s right! Not even I would do something that!” said Little My. ”Anyway though, knowing that my brother has broken out of prison before…”

But Moomin didn’t feel any calmer. He turned to the inspector.

“But you said this prison was modern and super safe!”

“That’s right…” confirmed the inspector.

“Wait a little now”, Moominpappa finally got the chance to interfere. ”If my memory is correct, you talked to this other inspector only yesterday?”

“That's right.”

“And when did this fire occur?” asked Moominmamma cautiously.

“Uhm… Friday one month and two days since now. Something that unfortunately adds to my suspicion that it is indeed Snufkin they’ve caught. If it takes about two days to travel by foot from the town to here...”

“Then…!” Moomin cried out, but abruptly stopped to count for himself. “But then he would have been here on time had he been let to continue!”

“Yes, that was my thought as well”, the inspector sighed tiredly. “He’s usually here on the first day of spring, right?”

They all nodded and hummed in agreement. 

“Then I take it he was caught right after the fire?” asked Moominpappa.

“More or less so. The following morning, if I understood the fellow right. They found him in the nearby forest, sleeping under a bush.”

“And he’s still in prison…” Little My concluded. She picked ferociously at her remaining waffle with her knife, like she imagined it was the officer who arrested Snufkin. “Because I suppose that inspector wouldn’t have been so boastful about it had it been otherwise?”

“No, I suppose not.”

Little My’s knife made an excruciating squeak against the porcelain. The others covered their ears in agony.

“My!” Moomin glared at her. Why did she always had to be so unbearable?

“Yes, that was very unnecess-” Moominpappa started, but Little My cut him off:

“Maybe, but Snufkin’s in prison. Isn’t that quite unnecessarily too?”

“Of course it is, love”, Moominmamma agreed and Moomin could tell that she was trying to keep her voice calm, but was really very worried herself. He was too. They all were.

“Inspector”, Moominmamma said. “Do you think there is any way we can get him out?”

“We can do a break-in!” Little My suggested before the inspector had a chance to reply.

“Oh, come on, that’s ridiculous!” cried Moomin. “If _Snufkin _haven’t been able to break out yet, there's surely no way _we _could break in.”____

_____ _

_____ _

“ _I _could.” Litte My crossed her tiny arms over her chest.__

____

____

“And besides”, Moomin went on, “we don’t want to be hunted by the police for the rest of our lives.” 

Someone was hushing them. They turned around and were embarrassed to see Moominmamma pointing at a very thoughtful inspector. He was staring up at the ceiling, a paw tapping his snout in a steady rhythm.  
“Um, hum…” he muttered to himself. ”I’m actually not certain you could get him out. I mean, if he’s already got his sentence…”  
“And for how long is that!?” Moomin fighted the urge to grab the inspector by the shoulders and try to shake it out of him. “How long is he meant to be there?”

“I don’t know. But damaging property like that, and the major’s property of all people… and plus the assault… I fear you could get quite a punishment for that.”

Moomintroll was sure he turned considerably paler. White as a sheet. He didn’t want Snufkin in prison. It wasn’t right and he was absolutely certain that Snufkin had done nothing to deserve it, whatever the claims were.

“But I suppose you could go there and try”, the inspector added after a bit of thought. “You know, they might have the wrong conclusions.”

“They must have!” Moomin shouted.

“There’ll be a bit of traveling though. That town is about two days from here.”

“Well then”, Moominpappa cut in, matter-of-factly. “I shall go and look around for a cart to borrow. Will you come with us, inspector? You seem to know the way.”

“You’re going?” said the inspector.

“We’re going?” cried the eager voice of Moomin.

“Of course we are”, said Moominpappa. He turned to his wife:

“Will you prepare some food for this roadtrip?”

“On it, dear.” She was already by the stove, pouring ingredients into a bowl to make pancakes. “Moomin and Little My, go and pack your things. But only what’s most necessarily!”

Little My jumped down from the table.

“Alright! I’ll bring card games!”

And then she was off and ran upstairs. The inspector offered to help Moominpappa with finding a cart and the two of them disappeared as well. Only Moomin lingered a little by the stove and watched absentmindedly as his mother whipped the ingredients together.

“You really think we can bring him back?” he asked quietly.

Moominmamma put a bit of butter in the frying pan.

“Yes, I do”, she answered in her usual calm manner. “You know, I find it strange that they would put such a young person into prison like that. Something must have gone wrong, I’m sure.”

“But uhm, mamma… me and Snorkmaiden were put into prison once. That midsummer, you remember?”

“Yes, I remember. That was very unfair of that park keeper! But even so, it wasn’t a proper prison, my love. Not like the one the inspector just talked about just now. And Snufkin’s punishment for pulling up those signs ended up very light. Very well, go and pack now, before Pappa and the inspector comes back.”

She loaded another pancake on the plate, were the delicious stack slowly grew. Then she turned her head and gave her worried son a reassuring smile.  
“Don’t worry. We’ll get him back.”

About an hour later, Moominpappa and the inspector were back. With them they brought a large four wheeler and two horses. All rushed out to inspect the cart, which soon showed to be perfect. There was a tent you could put up as shelter and all of them would surely fit in there to sleep, even though it might be a bit tight. The horses were on the alert and eager to go, which was also a good sign. Moominpappa told them that the inspector had in the end promised to go with them.

They began loading the cart with mattresses, blankets, pillows and food. All the while Moominmamma reminded them that they had to count with one more individual on the way back. She herself brought out the pancakes, jars of jam, sandwiches, coffee, the coffee pot, matches, fruits, soda, different kinds of cookies and a lot more tasteful goodies. Among all those baskets and boxes, there could also be seen a small, mysterious fabric bag, containing something soft.  
“It’s for Snufkin”, Moominmamma said simply when somebody asked.

Moomin had made sure two bring a double of almost everything. Two pillows, two blankets and so on. Yet it felt sad. He didn’t know if he dared to hope. What if they’d have to return without Snufkin? Then those extra, unused pillows and blankets would lay there staring miserably at him on their way back. As a way to both distract himself and out of his own good will, he offered to take the reins. Moominpappa let him do it somewhat reluctantly. Obviously he had wanted to take the reins himself.  
They ended up with Moominmamma and Little My making themselves comfortable in the big cart while Moomin steered them off through the thick woods. Moominmamma picked up her knitting while Little My found a comfortable spot in the basket where Moominmamma kept her balls of yarn.  
Moomin sat in the middle, between the inspector and Moominpappa and stared far ahead of them. The inspector pointed out directions for him, but oh, how he wished they could be faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you all for all the kudos and nice comments! Thank you very much! :)   
> Sitting here while the whole world has practically stopped, I wait for the rest of Moominvalley season 2 to be available in English. I read somewhere that it'll be in april, so hopefully I won't have to wait for much longer. Since I'm a swede I could of course try and wait for the Swedish version, but I've watched it in English so far so I think I'll stick to that for now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Another darker chapter! Also a bit hard to write, but I want it to get pretty angsty before it takes a turn… ;)  
> Again, thanks for giving kudos and comments! Feedback is always appreciated!

Snufkin had tried to escape. Of course he had, and he had even got quite far. 

During daytime, all inmates were set to work and Snufkin had for some reason been put on laundry duty. The room was huge and quite as grey as all the others, but Snufkin assumed it was also probably the only room in the institution where the air was unbearably hot and not icy cold. The constant presence of steaming water and many people working while crammed in together, made the atmosphere positively thick. The dampness and sweat stuck in their clothes and glued them to the skin or fur. It was terribly itchy.

The work was awfully heavy, but that was to be expected. Pulling clothes of different sizes up and down in enormous barrels of water before hanging them up to dry, gave your muscles quite a soreness for the rest of the week. And doing this eight hours a day in that air, left one utterly exhausted. Luckily for Snufkin, he was pretty strong and managed at least somewhat alright in the beginning. That is to say, until one day when he collapsed over one of those barrels right before lunch break. The whole upper half of his little body dived into the hot water before he was pulled up by somebody. Before he had a chance to react, that somebody began to unbutton his chest. 

“Sorry, little fellow, but this is all soaked and I’m afraid you have to keep going”, the larger creature said while pulling Snufkin’s one-piece down until it reached his hips. There, the creature used the garment’s sleeves and tied them around Snufkin like a belt. The mumrik clutched his face with both paws. Everything was so hot. He couldn’t breath and it felt as if he had been boiled alive. 

“Are there burns?” He mumbled through clenched fists. 

A pair of strange paws pulled them away and the creature who had saved him took a sharp look at his face. Like Snufkin, this creature didn’t have much fur. Those prisoners who had, were thankfully not put on laundry duty. 

“I don’t think so. Just pink as a piglet. But I think you ought to pour some cold water on it anyway.”

In each end of the room, there were water taps in the wall for the workers to use, whenever to wash their faces from the long hours working, or simply to drink. There were no mugs or glasses available though, so you had to put your head directly under the tap. Snufkin was picked up and carried to the far corner. There the creature gently put him down and turned the water on. 

“There you go.”

Snufkin dived again, but this time into the the wonderful coolness. He held his head under there for no less than a minute and let the water run down his burned chest. He drank too. Oh, he would willingly drown in this! Or stay for the rest of his life. Just here, under this amazing tap. 

“Thank you”, he panted between the gulps. 

The creature shrugged. 

“Oh, it’s no big deal. In here, we’re all on the same ship.” 

They were interrupted by the lunch bell. The sympathetic creature let him wash for just a little longer, before finally turning the tap off. 

“I’m sorry, but we need to go, or we’ll get no food.” 

Snufkin didn’t feel at all hungry. On the opposite, he felt a little ill. But the thought of leaving the laundry room for a while, was inviting. 

However, by now Snufkin’s legs were soaked as well as his chest and he was stopped right outside the door by a hemulen guard. 

“Hey! You there need to change. We can’t let you soak down the canteen floor!” 

The other creature was let through and sent Snufkin a worried glance.

“I’m sorry”, it mouthed and then he disappeared. Snufkin gazed after him until he turned a corner and was out of sight. He offered the guard a fueled glare.

“But these are the only clothes you gave me!” he shouted. “I have nothing to change into!” 

For a moment, the guard looked a bit at loss as to what to do. Snufkin could just make out him mumble something about “... I don’t have time for this…” and he almost dared to scoff. Almost. He wondered for how long he was supposed to wear these wet, dripping piece of so-called “clothes”. Until they let him out? 

“Alright, you’ll stay in here then. I’ll tell the others to bring some lunch back to you.” 

“Oh no, please! I can’t stay in that room! The air is suffocating!” Snufkin couldn’t bear the thought of another minute in that forsaken place. It had been such a relief to just poke his nose out the door. 

“I said; you’ll stay in here!” the guard thundered, and with that, he simply pushed Snufkin back inside and shut the door to his face. It locked automatically. 

Frantically, Snufkin started ransacking the room for something dry. He had to find _something _, yet everything was wet or damp when he touched it. He dug into a huge pile and threw the clothes over his shoulders as he searched. In the end, he came to collide with the wall behind. To Snufkin’s surprise,it looked broken. Or at least, at first it did…__

__It was a hidden doorway!_ _

__The pile had been stacked up under a table. It was the perfect spot for an escape way. The little square door was so discreet that at one quick glance, one would easily miss it. Snufkin nervously reached tried it. It was heavy and dusty, but he pulled it open and before him stretched a long, dark tunnel. Someone had made this long ago. Snufkin wondered if that one had succeeded in escaping and found himself very much hoping so. His dark, deep eyes darted to and fro, before he made a decision and slipped into the tempting darkness._ _

__He was careful to shut the door behind him and then he crawled away on all four. The tunnel was so small it was impossible to stand upright, unless one were the size of Little My. He had no idea of where he was going, but hopefully somewhere closer to outside the prison and hopefully none would look for him before it was too late. He crept as fast and at the same time, as quiet as he possibly could. All the time he feared that someone would come crawling after him or hear him through the walls. He didn’t dare to think about what the punishment might be if he were caught now. And still, while the thought scared him, he knew they were in the wrong. They had no right to lock him in like this and he would show them just that!_ _

__Adrenaline and will kept him going, for deep down he was very tired. Exhausted, even. The tunnel was cold like the rest of the prison. It was nice. Nice right after leaving the laundry room, but the cold would soon wear him down, he knew that. His cell was cold and the blanket didn’t provide nearly enough warmth throughout the nights. The canteen was cold too and so were the marchings outside. There were no long, hot showers for any inmate and the stupid, uncomfortable clothes he was forced to wear, were far too thin. Having lost his appetite what felt like ages ago, he was only slightly aware that he might be turning into the same shape and colour as the walls… grey, cold with sharp edges everywhere.  
When thinking about it closely, surely none would catch him. He was after all practically camouflaged. _ _

__He guessed the tunnel to be a broken or unused fan, or some other kind of ventilation system. Whoever escaped this way before couldn’t have been much bigger than him. Another mumrik, perhaps? That thought was a little comforting._ _

__As the first minutes passed, he couldn’t hear anything except his own panting. Then suddenly, he noticed a white light coming through the small cracks in the wall, and he heard the familiar _"click!" _of a camera flash. The photographer! He was back at the photographer! If he kept going, maybe he would get to the front doors…?___ _

____He continued crawling for a bit longer, until he saw another light ahead of him and by all creatures in the world, was that birdsong he heard? At once he sped up. The light came nearer and nearer and soon he found a door. Looking through the slits, he saw none and slowly, he pushed the door open._ _ _ _

____It was so frail it fell to the ground and Snufkin winced as the fall resulted in a light “thump”. The ground itself was covered in grit, which was not good. It prevented one from moving soundlessly across it._ _ _ _

____Without poking his head too far out, Snufkin carefully glanced in every direction. The door seemed to be placed in the middle of a shorter wall, with an edge on each side. That was bad. Someone could come running around those corners any time. A good five metres in front of him there was a high fence with barbed wire at the top. If he was careful, he could probably make it out that way with only a few scrapes._ _ _ _

____Quiet as a mouse, he jumped down and landed on the gritty ground. Bus when set off towards the fence, the most unwelcome shout in his life made itself heard:_ _ _ _

____“Hey! You there! Stop in the name of the law!”_ _ _ _

____The voice came from his right. Snufkin guessed that the guard must have been standing still on the spot and therefore Snufkin hadn’t been able to hear him moving._ _ _ _

____He headed for the fence regardless. If he was fast enough, just maybe he still stood a chance. He threw himself at it and started climbing, but the one-piece hanging damp around his hips made it harder than it should have been, and he heard the threatening sound of fast feet steadily catching up with him from behind._ _ _ _

____“Stop! In the name of the law! Stop!”_ _ _ _

____One of the sleeves dangling from his middle got caught in the iron and Snufkin pulled at it, desperate to get free. He was rather high up now. The hemulen might not reach him…if the little piece of fabric could just let go…_ _ _ _

____He felt the fence shake as another weight launched itself onto it. The sleeve finally gave way to Snufkin’s pulls, but the knot around his waist loosened somewhat and the sleeve came dangling further down..._ _ _ _

____A second later he felt a sharp pull, and was yanked back down with a horrified gasp._ _ _ _

____It was the same guard who had locked him inside the laundry room!_ _ _ _

____“How on _earth _?!” The hemulen’s eyes and mouth went big. He stared at Snufkin and at the the small square door in the wall behind them. Snufkin wished he could have shut it and left it hidden for someone else to try later. Aside from that however, it felt as if his world was starting to fall apart. This wasn’t supposed to happen! He had _so _nearly made it! He had felt the fresh air stroke his hair and heard the birds twitter, heard them shattering and...  
Then it was ripped away, just like that. How, just how could he be so stupid? How could he let himself get caught? This had been his chance and it had ended up completely wasted._____ _ _ _

________He was handcuffed again and after some struggling, thrown over a shoulder to be kept in place all the way back inside. Before being taken to his cell the guard took him to the dresser’s department, the one Snufkin had been to the day of his arrival. He shivered as they entered the small room and he shivered when he saw the same hemulen behind the counter.  
“This one needs some dry clothes”, the guard informed and put Snufkin down on the floor. The hemulen frowned upon the sight of him, then turned around to get a new one-piece. Snufkin was given clothes of the exactly same size, shape and colours as before and he was again asked to change right then and there. With his entire body shuddering at the memory of his arrival, he obeyed this time. With paws violently shaking, he undid his damp clothes and put on the new ones under their never ending piercing watch. As soon as he was done, the guard led him off into the long corridor and back to his cell. Before closing the door, he promised Snufkin he would make sure the sentence was extended. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Things like this have its consequences, you see. And from now on you’ll only work while being securely chained. Don’t you worry. This won’t happen again in a place like this."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He locked the door and Snufkin heard him walk away. In a fit of rage he got up and turned the bed over. He slammed the chair into the wall so its front legs broke and he grabbed the blanket and torn it apart. Then, realizing what he had done and that he probably would get punished for this too, he sank to the floor and cried._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Every day after that, he was fetched early in the morning and cuffed. Then he marched with the others to work and there they undid his handcuffs to replace them with a chain around one of his feet. The other end of the chain were secured to a wall or another heavy object. He would work like that until lunch and one of the other prisoners would be asked to bring some food back for him. Since it was so much fuss to cuff and uncuff him, they didn’t let him go to the canteen with the others anymore. He stayed at work from 7am to 4pm with a short lunch break at one o’clock. Unless they forgot to bring anything back to him, of course. Although the same creature who had once saved him out of that barrel, usually brought back at least something. At four o’clock he was put into handcuffs again and marched back to the cell. One time he fainted during that march. He was then picked up by another prisoner and put back into the cell. Supper was at six and bedtime by nine, but Snufkin often went to bed before that. He had realized that the less time he spent awake, the better. He started to long for it all day; going to bed. It was a blessing every time even though the cot was hard and cold and he shivered all night, knees pressed up to his chest in a desperate effort to keep some warmth. His ankle hurt and itched from being cuffed for so many hours and so did his wrists._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________If he were lucky, there would be soup for supper. Soup was easier to eat. If he were unlucky, there would be sandwiches. The others would go to the canteen again, but he would stay in his cell to eat alone. Again, too much fuss with the cuffs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He suspected they put sedatives in his supper to keep him from throwing another "fit of rage". He always felt strangely drowsy after supper and it wasn't simply the exhaustion be expected from working all day. His thinking got considerably slower and his body sometimes so weak he couldn't stand. It didn't really matter to him, though. He just wanted to sleep anyway. Of course, the drugs also did their job in preventing him from trying to escape again. He was too weak now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________When lying there on the cot, he longed for the forest, his tent and harmonica. Oh, if he they at least had let him keep his harmonica! Or his pipe. He had never before thought much about himself as addicted to tobacco, but lately his body had made that quite clear. Yes, he longed for a smoke. He tried to imagine it; how he stuffed his pipe, lit it and inhaled the wonderful tobacco... but his imagination was never anywhere close to the real experience._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He longed for the spring and Moominvalley and his friends. He should be with them now. The thought of Moomin sitting on the bridge waiting in vain for his arrival brought tears to his eyes. He would sit there, day after day, Snufkin knew it. And he would hear no spring tune. His friend wouldn’t come and how Snufkin wished that he could tell him why! That he had planned to come. That he hadn’t forgotten about or ignored him. That he really wanted to return and wished he were there right now. But Moomin wouldn’t know. How could he? And so the poor troll would be sad and disappointed, thinking Snufkin had chosen not to come this year._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He buried his head in the pillow, shaking and coughing to the wall. Was he getting sick? It wouldn’t surprise him, given the chill._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________And in that moment, when he lay there dreaming himself away, he didn’t care._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	6. Chapter 6

“We’re here.” 

Moomin rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked. The last hours or so he had dozed off now and again against his father’s shoulder. His whole body felt unusually stiff and and his feet had gone numb against the wooden surface he was resting on.  
Had it been under different circumstances, the trip might have been nice. Fun, even. Lying on soft mattresses in a cart while it rocked you to sleep in the night and gazed out at the nature passing by while imagining all the adventures just waiting out there… Yes, it might have been nice. But it had felt like an eternity and now at least they had reached their destination. After nearly three days. Little My and Moominmamma came to take a proper look as well. Little My climbed up to sit on Moominmamma’s shoulder.  
In front of them a city, big and picturesque, appeared downhill a mountain. There were many old wooden houses of uneven shapes and sizes. A river surrounded the entire mountain like a moat around a king’s fort. Everywhere there were small bridges connecting the city with the rest of the world. And it was lively. The inhabitants moved about their business in the beautiful spring weather. They walked and talked, went in and out of shops with bags in their paws and children ran along the sloping streets, playing pirates and cowboys. 

“What a beautiful town!” Moominmamma exclaimed. Her huge eyes practically drowned in the astonishing sight. 

“Yes”, Moominpappa agreed. “It’s hard to believe there’s a horrible prison among all of this.” 

Moomin sent a worrying glance at the inspector.

“You sure this is the right town?” 

The inspector nodded and pointed to a sign by one of the bridges.  
Welcome to River Town! it said in cursive red letters. Moomin looked to the river. Yeah, he thought to himself. That surely seemed right...But then, where was the prison? He couldn’t help but agree that River Town was indeed beautiful, but all he wanted was to find Snufkin. Only then might he be able to appreciate the view that lay before them. 

“Where’s the prison?” He asked it out loud. His eyes wandered over the town until they finally landed on a high stone building peeking up far behind all the pretty little houses and cottages. “Is that it?” 

“Yes, I think so”, said the inspector. “Well, we should head off then, shouldn’t we?” 

Moominpappa secured his grip on the reins as they took off at a slow speed over the bridge and entered the streets in the direction of the grey building. For the last day, he had been the one driving. 

Little My jumped for the picnic basket back in the cart. She found an apple and took a bite. 

“Hmf! I suppose everything that’s pretty must have something ugly in it too”, she said and took in all the the everyday harmony they witnessed. Moomin threw her a doubtful glance. He didn’t know if he could agree on that one. So far, he hadn’t noticed anything ugly with Snorkmaiden for example. She was just pretty right through. 

“Look!” Little My pointed with one of her tiny fingers. “I wonder what happened there?”

They all looked and there to the left. High gates met them and inside those gates was a big garden that was half black. Burnt down to the ground. 

“You see? Not everything here is pretty”, added Little My and sounded rather satisfied with herself. 

“Oh.” The inspector put a paw to his mouth. 

“I guess that’s the major’s garden?” asked Moominpappa. He pulled in to a sudden halt so they could take a more careful look. 

“Ye-yes”, stuttered the inspector. “It is.” 

They all stared. The damage was horrifying. It was far worse than they would have ever imagined. The iron fence were stained with black, about half of the big lawn was black and one corner of the white house was also black. Trees and bushes had burnt down, you could gather that from the pattern of the other remaining bushes.  
It looked positively spooky. 

“No way Snufkin did this”, Moomin heard himself whisper. “Absolutely no way.” 

Beside him was Little My. She didn’t say anything, just stared ahead with a growing frown on her face.  
Moomin shook his head. The damage was simply too extensive. Far too extensive to be caused by his best friend. 

“They’ve got it wrong!” he cried, somehow finding voice again. “They must have. Snufkin would never put a whole garden of fire! That’s just… No!”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘absurd’”, said Little My. She sounded like her usual confident self, but didn’t really look it this time. Even she seemed somewhat shocked with her brother being held accountable for this. 

“Well, we’re going to set things right now.” Moominmamma tried to calm them down and inspire some hope, but she fooled none. The slight shiver in her voice as she spoke was clear enough for those who knew her.  
Moomin leaned closer against Moominpappa, quietly seeking some comfort in his warm, soft fur.

“Pappa, do you really think they’ll let Snufkin go?” he whispered. The sight of the garden had strongly increased his already growing worries. What kind of penalty could one get for something like that? And the fire hadn’t even been the only charge now, had it? What if they would refuse them Snufkin? What if they would have to return without him, after having traveled so far and worried so much? Then they would never stop worry. It would just go on until they knew he was out and free… 

“I don’t know, son”, Moominpappa answered honestly. “I don’t know.” 

But from behind they heard Moominmamma huff in response. 

“Of course they will. Something has gone wrong and we’re here to find out what and set it right.” She offered her son a weak smile. “I’m counting on taking our little vagabond back home with us.” 

The determined look in her kind eyes eased Moomin’s worries just a little bit.  
They went up a steep slope at a slow speed and then they were in front of the threatening stone prison. It was impressive with it’s heavy doors and walls and barbed wire surrounding the whole building. They couldn’t see for how long it stretched, since the grey walls disappeared partly into a forest and was absorbed by the trees.  
Moomin felt scared. Never in his life had he seen such a big prison and he felt as though if they were to go in, they would never come out, criminals or not. He hid behind Moominpappa as they approached the fence with the inspector taking the lead and Little My trotting by his side.Then came Moominpappa and himself, Moomin, and lastly, Moominmamma.  
Just inside the fence were two hemulen guards. One of them came to greet the inspector as he halted outside.

“Hello, I’m the inspector from Moominvalley. I’m here to see about a prisoner brought in a couple of weeks ago. These are his friends and family. May we be let in?”  
The guard eyed the trolls and the little mymble for a second before asking if they all were coming from Moominvalley. He then he asked to see the inspector’s ID and after that they were let inside. 

“Ask the receptionist once you go in. She’ll help you through”, he said as the last of many doors were closed behind them with a dusty sigh.  
They looked around. They were standing in a hall that were strangely dark. The air was thick and dust was everywhere to be seen. Bars covered the few small windows that could be spotted, whereas the biggest one cast its shine over the reception. Behind the counter sat a fillyjonk and wrote frantically on a typewriter. 

“Excuse me!” cried Little My, only to be immediately hushed by Moominmamma. She grabbed the mymble by the paw to keep her in place. But the cry made the fillyjonk react nonetheless. She had a narrow face with narrow eyes and small, round glasses resting on her narrow snout. 

“Hello? How can I assist you?” 

The inspector stepped forward. 

“Well, I’m the inspector from Moominvalley, you see”, he repeated and held his ID up for her to see. She took it, studied it for a moment before handing it back. 

“I see. And what brings you here, if I may ask?” 

“Uhm, we’re here about a prisoner who was taken in about four weeks ago. I have reason to think that he might be innocent of the crimes he was sentenced for.” 

“I assure that we’re very thorough here”, the fillyjonk said. She sounded a little insulted, and Moominmamma decided to intervene:

“I don’t doubt that you are. But please, could you check it up for us? We would be so grateful. We’re family. We simply want to know what happened to a loved one. Surely that’s understandable?” 

At this, the fillyjonk’s frown deepened. Without letting her intense eyes slip off Moominmamma, she reached for a big notebook under the counter and opened it. 

“Well, yes. Of course. Well then, what is the name of this prisoner?”

“Snufkin”, Moomin piped up.

“And species?” 

“Mumrik”, said Moomin. 

The fillyjonk turned the pages in her book. The rustling of paper sent dust flying in the dim lamp light. 

“Uhm… and you said he was brought in four weeks ago?”

“Yes”, said the inspector. 

She turned a few more pages. Moomin could see her thin finger run along the countless lists.  
Then suddenly the finger stopped moving. 

“Ah, we did in fact have a mumrik brought in at that time, but there’s no name to him, unfortunately, only a number. 135. Let’s see... what was he convicted of?”

“Arson, Disorderly Conduct and Abuse of Staff”, the inspector said after a bit of thought. 

“Oh yes!” the fillyjonk’s stern face suddenly lit up. “I remember him. Worn clothes... Rather dirty! Didn’t want to sign his name.” 

“Ha! Wonder why.” Little My rolled her eyes. 

“Shut up, My!” Moomin snarled. If she was being difficult, maybe they wouldn’t let them see Snufkin. What were she thinking? 

“Don’t be rude”, he quickly added in a more collected manner. He glared at her and hoped she understood. She glared back, but turned quiet. 

“That’s sounds very much like Snufkin”, Moominmamma cut in. “Please, may we see him?”

“And the inspector who arrested him?” Moominpappa cut in before anyone forgot it. 

“Yes, that’s the way you’ll have to go.” The fillyjonk turned around and unexpectedly left the counter. She had seemed more or less attached to it, but now she headed for a door at the far end of the room. 

“I’ll ask if he’s in”, she explained. But just as she opened the door, the main door behind them were pulled open and a police inspector stomped inside. 

“Miss Fillyjonk”, he exclaimed at the sight of the large company of trolls. “What on earth is going on here?” 

“Oh, there you are! How appropriate! These people wish to speak to you. Have you got time?”

“Well”, said the inspector. His voice was gruff and confident.“I was just heading out for a lunch break, but... I suppose I could sacrifice a few minutes. What’s it all about?” 

The one inspector greeted the other and it was soon discovered that it was indeed this hemulen who the Moominvalley inspector had been talking to over a phone call. After a few short polite pleasantries between the two, this new inspector ushered his new company to a couple of chairs in the corner. He offered them to sit down while he explained the turn of events that had occured, according to him. He told them about the account coming from a security guard who had been on duty at the major’s birthday party. The guard had intervened when an older hemulen lady started screaming about a mumrik bothering her and her orphanage children. The lady told the guard that the mumrik had thrown a glass of cider at her, and she was certainly very wet in the face, so he had believed her. When the guard grabbed the mumrik to throw him out, the mumrik had kicked him. As the hunt began, the mumrik pulled over a cresset, which put the lawn on fire. Guests fled, rescuing their children in the procedure and in all that chaos, the mumrik managed to get away. As the fire brigade were called, he, the inspector was consulted to help find the culprit. Together he and the guard searched the area until they found him sleeping under a bush. They brought him in and that was it. 

“There was no doubt it was him”, the inspector concluded once he finished his tale. 

“Wasn’t it?” Little My contradicted. “As far as I can tell, you didn’t care to listen to his version of the events. What did Snufkin say about all this? I think you forgot to tell us that.”

“Well, he mostly told us to ‘let him go’ for what I remember. And that he ‘didn’t do it’. But that’s what they always say, believe me. I’ve been in the force for thirty years.” 

“He didn’t say anything else?” Moomin asked. Snufkin surely was both strong and clever enough to stand up for himself. Surely he must have come up with something more? He found it hard to believe regardless of the “thirty years in the force” or whatever. The tale had frightened him immensely. It didn’t sound at all like the peaceful Snufkin he knew.

“No… not really. Not that I can recall, no”, the inspector said. 

“Are you absolutely sure that this guard at the party were telling the truth?” Moominpappa asked and the doubt in his voice were clear. “Because I don’t think it would hurt to hear his account again.” 

“But I’ve already told you!”

“What my husband meant is that we would like to hear it from _him _”, said Moominmamma. “You don’t think you could bring him here for us?”__

__The inspector looked suddenly exhausted._ _

__“And there went my lunch break…” But he gave in eventually:_ _

__“Alright, I’ll see if I can find him. But it may take a while. I don’t know his hours.”_ _

__“How long is a while?” asked the Moominvalley inspector._ _

__“I don’t know. A couple of hours, maybe?”_ _

__“Alright, in that case we may wait.”_ _

__Little My jumped down from her chair and straightened out her dress._ _

__“Good! Then can I go and see my brother meanwhile?” She gave the inspector in charge a sharp eye._ _

__“If you please?” she added._ _

__The inspector rose and looked down at her._ _

__“You’re his biological sister?”_ _

__“We have the same mother, yes.”_ _

__“Uhm, very well... I’ll ask someone to take you to him. If he recognizes you as his sister, I’ll let the rest of you see him too.”_ _

__That was unfair, Moomin thought. They all were Snufkin’s family, for goodness sake! He sank in his chair, frustrated with the entire world.  
_His heart shouted at full force: I want to see him too! _  
Though at the same time, he was thankful that at least Little My would get to him now. She shot him and the others a promising eye before she was led away to the far end door. There, on the other side, a guard took over and the door banged shut after them.___ _

Little My was led through met a long, grey corridor. It was cold and from a far distance, she could make out the faint rumbling of machines. There were no windows here, only doors here and there. Thick, grey doors.  
The guard was another hemulen and he didn’t say anything at all as they walked. The inspector had told him to take her to “prisoner number 135” and observe the reaction: if said inmate recognized the mymble as his sister.  
Little My didn’t say much either, which felt pretty strange. She always had something to say, or at least she tended to think that she did. But now she was completely focused on the task at hand and the atmosphere around her was making her afraid. Not in the way as Moomin had been, of course. She wasn’t afraid of being locked in herself, no, it was the realization of Snufkin being locked in a place like this for a month… She didn’t know how he would handle that. She knew he would hate it, but would it show? Or would he pretend to be fine as he usually did? She almost wished for the first alternative, as she wasn’t sure about what she would do if it turned out to be the later. 

____“Well, here we are.”_ _ _ _

____They had stopped in front of a door with the number “135” on it. Little My took a deep breath and steeled herself for whatever was coming. The guard picked up a bunch of keys and unlocked the door. He pushed it open._ _ _ _

____“Right, in you go. I’ll wait.”_ _ _ _

____Little My stepped inside._ _ _ _

____The first thing she saw was the bundle of red and yellow lying on a small cot. The red bundle had short streaks of brown hair at the top. The red colour confused Little My for a second, since she had never seen Snufkin wear anything other than green. But then she realized it might be some sort of prison clothing and she slowly stepped further._ _ _ _

____“Snufkin? Is that you?” she cried._ _ _ _

____There was a weak grunt coming from the bundle and some slight movement. Little My jumped. She recognized that movement and that grunt, even though it sounded so hoarse and weary._ _ _ _

____“Snufkin!”_ _ _ _

____She threw herself onto the cot and with her tiny arms managed to roll her little brother over so that he was facing her. He was so pale! Gaunt and sick looking, but it was him! In that ugly red one-piece and unusually short hair. She touched his face and slowly his brown, deep eyes flickered open to meet hers._ _ _ _

____“My?” he whispered, like he didn’t believe what he was seeing. His voice wasn’t more than a whisper. Little My pressed a hard kiss on his nose and beamed at him, sitting wide legged on his chest._ _ _ _

____“My!” Seeming to realize that she was indeed very real and not just a happy dream, he pulled her into the tightest hug Little My had ever experienced._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, they've finally found him! :D I've been quite busy lately, so this is going a bit slow for now… But I've really been longing for the part when they're together again!  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) Feedback is always appreciated.  
> Stay safe everyone <3


	7. Chapter 7

“My?” 

Never had he been happier to see her. One moment he was alone in a cell after a long days’ work, and in the next he heard the faint sound of small feet and then an all-too familiar and hideously piercing voice calling his name.  
It was almost too good to be true. Yet now here she was, sitting on his chest and smiling her usual broad smile in her usual red dress and everything. Yes, she was really there and when that realization finally dawned on him, he launched himself at her without thinking. 

“My!” 

She giggled in his arms.

“Oi! You’re choking me!”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He loosened his grip and reluctantly let her go. “I’m just so glad to see you. How… How ever did you find me? Did you come alone?” 

“Long story, but nope, I’m not alone. The whole bunch is here.” 

“The whole ‘bunch'?” 

“Yes! You’d think they’d let me go alone? Forget it! No, Mamma, Pappa, Moomin and our own inspector came too. They’re all waiting back in the hall. Strange place this is.” 

“Yeah…” Snufkin curled in on himself a little. It was like relief flooding through his veins as she talked, but he still felt scared. He hadn’t pictured this kind of scenario in his head over these last weeks. Him getting to them, yes, but not the other way around. How would this end? Would they be able to free him? Would that idiot of an inspector listen to other grown-ups when not to him?

“Hey, what’s happened to your arms?” 

Snufkin jumped. Little My had caught sight of his sore wrists and he quickly hid them beneath the blanket. But he wasn’t fast enough. Little My succeeded in grabbing one of them and held it up to inspect. He pulled it back.

“It’s nothing, My.”

She bore her eyes into him. Something between worry and growing anger floated in her gaze.

“Those are from cuffs, aren’t they?”

“How did you find me?” He wasn’t very keen on following the path which this conversation seemed to be going. He tucked in both paws under the blanket and refused to look at her. 

“Don’t change the subject. Is the other one just as bad?”

She dived for his other paw and Snufkin fought to keep it out of her reach,  
but in the end she won. 

“Both are sore. You should put bandage on that.” 

Snufkin yanked his paws away from her. 

“As if I’ve had any available…” he muttered in a whisper so low she almost didn’t hear him. But she did.

“Those bastards…”

She glanced around the cell and Snufkin watched her doing so. Her piercing eyes wandered around every corner, as if she was searching for something. In the end, they came to settle back on him again.

“What is it?” he said.

Little My frowned. She tilted her head and gave him a quick look from top to bottom. 

“How on earth did they persuade YOU to wear those silly clothes?” 

__Snufkin curled further in on himself until he wasn’t much more than a small bony red ball with yellow stripes._ _

___They didn’t _, he thought as the involuntary shivers began shaking his body and he was grabbed by a strange feeling of wanting to disappear. He wanted an armour of thousands of blankets to shield him from the memory of paws tugging and pulling mercilessly at him… holding him down. Humiliating him.__ _ _

____“SNUFKIN? Snufkin? Do you hear me?”_ _ _ _

____He gasped and became aware of Little My’s worried face looking straight at him. She had placed herself on his thighs and held onto his shoulders for dear life._ _ _ _

____“What happened?” she went on, worry shining in her face. “Was it something I said?”_ _ _ _

____“W-what?”_ _ _ _

____“You just zoomed out and I kept calling your name for like three or four times before you heard me!”_ _ _ _

____“Did I? I’m sorry.” Snufkin swallowed hard as he tried to bury the horrific memories surging up inside him. He was still shaking badly and that didn’t go unnoticed by Little My._ _ _ _

____“They’ve taken your things…”_ _ _ _

____Ah, so that was what she had been looking for._ _ _ _

____“Please My, stop it…” He was close to tears now. Why couldn’t she just shut it? Why did she have to remind him of all these things? Yes, he knew they had taken his things! And yes, he already knew they had forced him into these clothes! He knew that. So why mention it?  
He felt her feet stepping a little closer. _ _ _ _

____“You know”, she said carefully, “I’m just asking so that I’ll know how hard I shall bite the vile creatures who did this to you.”_ _ _ _

____Snufkin managed a weak smile. A warm, sad one._ _ _ _

____“I actually wouldn’t mind if you did. Though I’m afraid you’d end up here too then, and I couldn’t possibly let that happen.”_ _ _ _

____“Ah, but then at least you wouldn’t be alone.” Little My pressed herself against his chest in a loving hug. “And then we could bite them together and they could hate us together and we could face the same punishments together until we break free together.”_ _ _ _

____Snufkin put his arms around her and held her close. It was so nice to have her there._ _ _ _

____“What a pair we are.” He nuzzled into her red hair. “Such obnoxious siblings.”_ _ _ _

____“Yeah.” She looked up at him, but when she saw that his eyes were still red-rimmed and felt his paws still shaking, she decided to change track:_ _ _ _

____“We really need to get you out, don’t we? You look sick, little brother.”_ _ _ _

____He did, and he was hot. She hadn’t noticed that before._ _ _ _

____“It’s not that bad.”_ _ _ _

____“I should ask for Moominmamma to have a look at you. Then you can see the others.”_ _ _ _

____At that Snufkin panicked._ _ _ _

____“NO! Please no! No!” He couldn’t bear the thought of seeing everyone right now, no matter how much he longed for them. He just couldn’t. Not here. Not like this. Especially not Moomin. He would probably die inside if his dear friend had to see him like this and if the poor troll found out what had happened to him… He would never stand the pity in Moomin’s big eyes, neither his own shame.  
He held onto his sister as if he were afraid that she would simply scurry off and call the entire gang in immediately. Little My struggled to get free._ _ _ _

____“Calm down! I ain’t going to! But why, though? Why don’t you want to see them?”_ _ _ _

____“I do, but not here. Please, understand. I wanted to see you all in Moominvalley, as usual. Not here.” He was crying now. He couldn’t stop it anymore. Tears ran down his face in tiny rivers and fell onto Little My’s head._ _ _ _

____“I was on my way back to you! It would have been the same as every year if not… if not… if I only hadn't gone to that party.”_ _ _ _

____It was really that simple when it came down to it: everything would have been alright, had he not gone to the party. And that in itself was ridiculous. Why on earth had he been so stupid?_ _ _ _

____"Well", he heard Little My say, "but now we’re here anyway and we're going to take you home with us. I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to avoid everyone this time."_ _ _ _

____"Not everyone", Snufkin wiped the tears away, only to make room for more. "Just not everyone right NOW. And I'm actually not so sure they'll let me go."___ _

______"Oh they will!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______She eyed him curiously. He truly did look terrible. Not at all like the usual calm Snufkin she knew. This Snufkin was pale and bony. That ghastly one-piece looked baggy on him. His eyes were sunken deep and slightly absent, as if he couldn’t really see her all the time. Above all that he was shaking and she didn't know if it was from cold or illness. And he looked scared.  
A certain kind of anger started to grow inside her. They had hurt him for a month straight. They would pay. She would made sure of that. _ _ _ _ _ _

______Someone cleared their throat behind them and they both turned around. Oh, they had nearly forgot the guard! He was still waiting outside the door._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Uh-hum", he said, "we only let in two visitors at a time in these cells", he informed and Snufkin sighed in relief. It seemed like he wouldn't have to face the entire moomin family yet after all._ _ _ _ _ _

______"So", the guard continued, "would you like to see someone else of those people back in the hall? There’s a whole family waiting there, claiming they know you. The time for visits is always one hour, so you have approximately forty minutes left."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Only forty minutes…” Snufkin instinctively held onto Little My, desperate for her to stay. "That's nothing!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______She patted his paw reassuringly._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Don't worry. We're not leaving you. We only just got here."_ _ _ _ _ _

______All of sudden, Snufkin's mind turned frantic. Who should he ask to see next? Moomin? No, no, no. He wasn't ready for that yet. Moominmamma maybe? Or the inspector? Perhaps the inspector was the one whose chances in getting him out were the highest… however, the inspector might be nice and well-meaning, but he wasn't terribly bright and..._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Could you bring Moominmamma?" Little My's penetrating voice brought him back to reality. She was talking to the guard._ _ _ _ _ _

______"The one with an apron", she added for clarity’s sake. The guard nodded._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Alright, I'll do that. But unless you're coming with me, I'll have to lock you both in meanwhile."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Fine. Go ahead", Little My replied before Snufkin even had a chance to. He shuddered a little as the door clicked into its frame and they heard the distant steps of the guard walking away._ _ _ _ _ _

______"So…" Little My turned to her brother. "Why are you here?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Didn't the inspector tell you? I put some major's garden on fire."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Little My let out a gasp. Her face turned into something between surprise and horror and then possibly a bit of...admiration._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What?! You really did that?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I kind of did, actually…"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"We thought it was all lies!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"...but it wasn't on purpose. I was running and accidently turned over a cresset when a safety guard tried to catch me. It fell on the grass and I...guess you can figure out the rest yourself."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Snufkin looked away. The memory of people screaming and fleeing from the fire still made him sick, even though none had ended up hurt. That dreadful inspector had in fact said as much himself at one point during his stay. However that of course didn't stop him from putting all the blame on Snufkin, and more._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Alright, I see…" Little My looked a bit as if she was in the early stages of plotting a cunning plan. "And what about the rest? The uhm, 'disorderly conduct'-thing? Did you do that too?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______This time, Snufkin took some time before answering and when he opened his mouth again, he spoke in a more confident manner:_ _ _ _ _ _

______"There was an elderly hemulen at the party with her orphanage children." He paused and offered Little My a brief smile. "Sounds familiar?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______She grinned and Snufkin went all seriousness again as he continued his story:_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I was standing only a short distance from them and heard one of the children asking the hemulen for candy multiple times. But the hemulen was irritated and hit the child, and that's when I threw my drink at her…"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well done! And-"_ _ _ _ _ _

______They were interrupted by the clicking sound of the door being unlocked and the most wonderful of all creatures emerged on the threshold: Moominmamma._ _ _ _ _ _

______She looked like her usual kind, motherly self, except for maybe a little confused. Her huge brown eyes instantly fell on the pair sitting on the cot._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Oh dear."_ _ _ _ _ _

______As she carefully approached them, the guard behind her checked his watch._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Thirty-four minutes left", he announced. "I'll return and let you out by then."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Thank you", said Moominmamma without turning around. The door clicked shut again._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dear me, I think I’m going to need to look up a few things in Grandma’s book later. Hello, Snufkin.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Hello Moominmamma.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She sat down beside them, Little My in the middle and took in the haggard appearance of the boy she called one of her children._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It’s rather cold in here, isn’t it?” She reached out for the blanket and draped it around his shoulders._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yes, it is.” He curled up to cover his feet as well._ _ _ _ _ _

______“But hey!” cried Little My. “That way she can’t have a look at you and that’s half the reason I sent for her!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Moominmamma stared at her._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It was you who sent for me?”___ _ _ _

________“Yes!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Ah, that explains it. I was actually pretty surprised when the guard returned and asked for me and not Moomin.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Snufkin squirmed. He pulled the blanket all the way up to his nose. He could only imagine how disappointed Moomin must have been to be left behind, twice now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I want to see Moomin”, he was quick to reassure her. “Just not yet.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“And Moominmamma is more useful when you’re hurt”, Little My cut in._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Now, My”, Moominmamma warned her, “we don’t want to be rude.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She looked at Snufkin with sympathy painted all over her face:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’m afraid I can’t do much at the moment, empty handed as I am. But don’t places like this have their own doctors? I’m sure one as big as this ought to have at least one. Do you know anything about that, Snufkin?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He shook his head, but it was a lie. He had in fact heard something about “the hospital ward” among the other inmates, but he had no intention whatsoever of going there. It didn’t matter if he was hurt, he didn’t trust them. If he was to succumb to anyone’s care, it would be Moominmamma’s. That would undoubtedly be embarrassing, but he couldn’t think too much about that now. He just wanted to follow them back to Moominvalley._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Snufkin? Snufkin, dear, can you hear me?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He twitched. Had he zoomed out like that again?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Ye-yes?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Could you take off that blanket for a little while, please?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Uhm, why? It’s still cold.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yes, but I caught a glimpse of your wrists and ankle when you pulled you feet up. Little My’s right. I’d like to take a look.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Both had their eyes fixed on him and Snufkin reluctantly lowered the blanket. He held his paws forward for her to inspect. His poor wrists were still red and partly covered in blisters, with some small black spots of dried blood here and there. She took them in her soft, warm paws and examined them thoroughly. She shook her head sadly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I don’t see why they would put you in chains. These look like they have been cleaned, although not properly. Have you had any opportunity to clean them?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Snufkin nodded towards the sink against the opposite wall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“With water and soap, yes. But…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“But what, love?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“They keep cuffing me up and… and so they never heal properly. I might have forgotten to clean them once or twice too.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Why do they cuff you?” Moominmamma asked carefully. Slowly, she moved a little closer to him. Little My stayed in the middle, her eyes flickering between the two of them as if she was following a tennis match._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Because I tried to escape...”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Little My’s eyes grew to the shape of balloons._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You never told me that!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“... and after that, when they told me they would prolong my sentence, I sort of destroyed a cell. The furniture, I mean. That’s why they cuff me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He fidgeted with the pillow. Feathers were pulled out one by one. He let them sail through the air until they landed on the floor. Moominmamma rose and headed for the sink. It was old and discoloured but, she found, fully functioning._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Would you mind coming over here, dear? I’d like to clean those wrists of yours. And ankle.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Very cautiously, Snufkin put his feet on the floor and stood up. He made it to the sink alright enough on his unsteady legs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Sorry, I’ve become a little wobbly…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He held onto the sink to steady himself while Moominmamma gently rinsed his wounds with water, one paw at the time. She didn’t try to bandage them with anything (there were toilet paper available in the cell). She thought it better to let it breath. When it came to his ankle though, Snufkin wanted to sit down. He sat silently on the edge of the cot while Moominmamma bathed his ankle with a tissue. When she was done, she reached for the blanket and wrapped it around him again. She had seen enough now to know that things were bad. His wobbly walking certainly hadn’t gone unnoticed and her worry had increased even further when she saw that. She pulled him into a soft hug against her side and to her surprise, he nuzzled into it. He buried his face in her fur and she felt the heat of fever radiating from his pale skin. Something had gone very, very wrong and they needed to find out what and soon. She brought up one paw to caress the back of his head while the other supported his back. Little My settled herself upon his knee._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You really should see a doctor nonetheless”, Moominmamma whispered into the mumrik’s ear after a few moments of silence._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“No.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yes, you should. Your wrists and ankle could get infected. I’ll talk to them-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“No!” His eyes flew open and stared at her, fear all too clear in them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Don’t! I don’t trust them! And I don’t think you should either”, he added after a bit of thought._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Moominmamma turned quiet. She nodded in understanding. Of course he didn’t trust them, she reasoned, after what they’ve obviously done to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It’s alright, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Carefully she reached out for him again and it didn’t take long before his pointy little nose were buried in her fur for a second time._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I understand that you don’t trust them”, she said and stroked his hair in an attempt to soothe him. “And I’d love to tend to you myself, I really would, but I can’t at the moment. I highly doubt they’d allow a stranger from outside to do that. But what if I asked and there in fact is a doctor, would you agree to go there if I promise to accompany you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Snufkin shivered._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I don’t know”, he said. “What if they don’t allow you to come?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Then you’re not going either. If I’m there and witness everything, they can’t hurt you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“But what if they want to inject me? Or give me something to drink? I don’t want that! I think they’re drugging my food already…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“What?!” Little My rose to stand on her tiny feet and looked up at the bundle that was her brother. “This place is utterly twisted! There surely's gonna be suffering for some once I find out the rest of this bloody mess!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Hush, My. There’s not going to be any suffering…” Moominmamma tried to calm her down, but in vain._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Oh, yes, there will! And you know it too! You want the people who’ve treated our Snufkin like this to get away with it? I don’t think so! And by now I think I know who deserves the first bite…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“You do?” mumbled Snufkin from where he was curled up in Moominmamma’s arms. He wasn’t entirely certain why he asked that. He had never been one to advocate violence, but he supposed it may have been that small part of him that actually wouldn’t mind this time. And by all means, he truly appreciated My’s will to protect him, even if that was something he would never admit out loud._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“That wretched inspector!” she cried._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Just as he thought, then. He leaned into Moominmamma’s warm embrace. She smelled of flowers, sweets and coffee. He could die for any of that right now. He stayed there and let her cradle him, not wanting to leave this small spot of warmth and safety. It had become so rare lately. He had nearly fallen asleep, when she whispered to him again:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“How long have you been here?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________At once, he was wide awake. Oh, how long had it been? He tried to think through the fogginess of his fevered mind, but to his horror, he couldn’t seem to remember. Everyday was just the same. There was a clock on the wall in his cell, but no calendar and there was none in the laundry room either. And since they had started to drug him every evening, it had been even harder to keep track of the days. Had it been a month? Six months? A year?  
The air was caught in his lungs as the realization dawned on him. Was he losing it completely? He really did not remember. The only thing he knew was that it felt like an eternity. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I...I don’t know”, he stuttered and felt like throwing up as he said it. “What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I remember? I should know…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“Hush, love, hush… there. It’s been a month. Only a month.” Moominmamma held him a little firmer to keep him still while the panic slowly evened out and she could feel him relax against her chest. She had only been testing him, and with alarming results. Under her gaze, Little My mouthed:  
“What’s wrong with him?”  
“He’s ill”, she mouthed back. “And scared.” _ _ _

________“Where are your belongings?” she asked out loud. She knew how much the old hat and harmonica meant to the little mumrik and seeing him stripped of all that, pained her immensely._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I dropped my hat in the forest when they first caught me”, Snufkin said. “And my backpack and clothes… I don’t know. They took them.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’ll send Moomin out to search for your hat”, Moominmamma assured him. “If we’re lucky, that inspector will tell us were he found you. About your backpack and clothes, I’ll ask for them as well. My intention is to take you home.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He hugged her even tighter when she said that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“And if you, for some reason, can’t make them release me”, he mumbled into her fur, “then maybe you could try and make them agree to move me to our own inspector’s cells back in Moominvalley?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He actually laughed a little at that suggestion. A sad, uneven laugh full of misery. It was so silly, but he would so much rather spend two years in that small station with their silly but kind inspector and close to his friends, than staying here one day more._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Oh, that won’t happen, love”, Moominmamma almost laughed a little herself and nearly started crying at the same time. “No, you’ll be truly released and then you’ll come with us, just you wait and see.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________With that, she placed a moomin kiss on the crown of his head. Then the door was unlocked again and the guard showed up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Time’s up.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I don’t want you to leave”, Snufkin admitted when Moominmamma gently lowered him to the mattress._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“We’re not leaving, I promise”, she kissed him once more. “But we need to talk to the others about what to do. You understand that, I know you do. Rest now and we’ll see you again tomorrow as soon as hours allow.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yeah, you bet”, Little My chimed in and pressed a kiss to his cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Reluctantly, they walked to the door where the guard waited. Just before she stepped over the threshold, Moominmamma looked up at him and tried to match his stern expression when she said:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“He’s sick. You should bring him another blanket or two. Could you do that?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The guard frowned and looked troubled but Moominmamma held her gaze until he eventually gave in._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yes, sure. I’ll see to it.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Good. Can you do it now?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Now?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yes, now, if you please. I’d like to be sure it happens.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Why, you have my word.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I appreciate that very much, thank you, but I still would prefer if you fetched a blanket now while I can see it. It certainly can’t be that much trouble?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The guard muttered something about “wait here” then strode off along the corridor until he reached a door that had to be some sort of storeroom. He returned with a blanket identical to the one that Snufkin already had, and gave it to Moominmamma._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Thank you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She walked back into the cell and draped the second blanket over the now sleeping form on the cot. He moved a little when she touched him and she placed a third kiss on his head before heading back out to the others. The guard locked the door._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“And I suggest that you put him off work for for the time being in regard of his health”, Moominmamma went on, confidently. “Nobody should work in that state, if you ask me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Not if you ask me either”, said Little My._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The guard grimaced._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Humph! Maybe not”, he muttered and Little My cast Moominmamma a small look of triumph._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here's a thing: I'm still new here and I don't know how to do cursive letters :/ When I try, and then saves the whole thing as a draft, there's never more than one word in cursives! I don't know why. So in this chapter I chose to skip that and used caps lock instead. It doesn't look nearly as neat, I think, but it'll have to do for now.  
> If anyone has any advice on how to write in cursive, it would be much appreciated! 
> 
> This chapter was a little tricky. I knew how I wanted it to go, but not how to write it. I hope it turned out sufficient. And by the way, I no longer have any chapters pre-written, like the first five or six ones. Now I'll have to write a first and second draft before publishing, which means it might take me some more time from now on. 
> 
> Stay safe everyone! :)


	8. Chapter 8

Moomin was frustrated. Not only had he not been allowed to see Snufkin, as it appeared: Snufkin didn’t even want to see him. At least if he was to believe Little My’s account. Moominmamma was apparently fine, so why not him? Deep down he knew it was silly, but he felt let down and… well, embarrassed. Now the others would probably think of him as not being so close to Snufkin after all. He could read those thoughts on their faces. He saw the question they all asked themselves: why hadn’t Snufkin asked for Moomin? 

His best friend could be quite a mystery at times and in this particular moment, that angered him. There was no need for Snufkin to be mysterious about this, he thought to himself. He would have to find out eventually anyway, that is, if they’d get anywhere with anything. And he wanted to help Snufkin. He wanted that more than anything, but how could he, if Snufkin wouldn’t let him?

On the other hand, a small voice told him the entire thing was pretty understandable. Moominmamma had said that Snufkin simply wasn’t fit enough for more visitors too soon, while Little My had promptly told Moomin later that her brother feared he should lose whatever remained of his dignity if he were to see Moomin. Moomin wasn’t sure what to make of that, but he could almost understand it. It wasn’t as if he’d want to throw away his dignity in front of Snufkin either. Or Snorkmaiden. Actually, that would be a nightmare. Nevertheless, he still thought it stupid. Dignity wasn’t a priority now, he reasoned, and he wasn’t going to think any different of the vagabond simply for being sick while locked in. 

It was getting quite chilly in the hall and that inspector were really taking his time in finding the safety guard. The big clock on the wall told them they had been waiting for nearly three hours now. Three hours since Little My and Moominmamma returned from the cells. In lowered voices, so as to not let the fillyjonk hear too much, Moominmamma and Little My had told them about the meeting with Snufkin; about his worrying state and what little he had told them. Little My were the one to inform about the latter. She recounted what Snufkin had told her about the true series of events at the major’s party and after being caught. Even if it was quite obvious by now that something had gone wrong, they were still shocked to hear Little My’s tale. If she bit the inspector green and blue, Moomin wouldn’t blame her. Actually he might even cheer her on. She sat there, perched upon the armrest of Moominmamma’s chair and stared intently towards the main door. Without doubt she waited for the constable to arrive so she could bite him. Moomin couldn’t help but think there was something in her eyes; a knowledge. A knowledge she hadn’t yet shared with them. Something Snufkin had said to her, perhaps and she had chosen not to pass on the word. For whatever reason Moomin couldn’t possibly know, but it seemed to further fuel her rage towards the inspector, because she glared at the door, waiting like a hungry tiger for an antelope. 

Moomin’s chair was uncomfortable. He sat close to Moominpappa and tried to absorb some of the older troll’s warmth. Moomin’s short legs itched with impatience. He wondered if it was just as cold in Snufkin’s cell. Moominmamma had told him about the extra blankets though, so hopefully he would be alright. Moomin huffed. “Alright” was of course an exaggeration. Of course he wasn’t. And Moomin wished he could be there and comfort him. He imagined what it would be like for him, all alone and ill in a cold cell. Just the thought made him want to cry. No matter how hard he tried, the image wouldn’t go away. 

“How old is Snufkin?”  
The inspector looked up all of suddenly after a while of silence.  
“I mean, I don’t think it’s legal to punish an underage person with a two year-sentence. If he still counts as a child in the eyes of the law, they’ll have to let him go.” 

They stared at each other.

“I’m actually not sure”, said Moominmamma after a moment of confused silence. “I have always looked upon him as a child, but his actual age… Come to think of it, I really don’t know.” 

“Yes, that is a tricky one”, Moominpappa agreed. “I’ve always thought that he looks like a child but acts very much like a grown-up, which certainly doesn’t help in this case. My, do you know your brother’s age?” 

Little My shrugged at the question.

“No. When you have as many siblings as I, it’s impossible to keep track of when they were all born. He’s a couple of years younger than me and he’s definitely older than Moomin, but that’s all I can say for certain.” 

“I’m not even sure he knows himself”, Moomin added with a deep sigh. “I mean, as far as I know we’ve never celebrated his birthday and it doesn’t appear to be something he’s too keen on doing either. And he was abandoned at a very young age, with none to tell him how old he was, so really, why would he know?” 

“You’re right, son”, said Moominpappa. “It’s very likely he doesn’t know. But right now, it would be of great advantage to us if we did. My, do you know if Mymble keeps track of her children’s birth? If she takes notes of them or something the like?” 

Little My sent him a doubtful glance. 

“Well, I think she does nowadays, but I don’t think she was so careful with those kind of things back when me and Snufkin were born. After all, he disappeared and from what I remember, she hardly seemed to notice…”

“He was abandoned!” Moomin growled. “Your mother abandoned him!” 

“He was too quiet!” Little My shouted back. “Hardly anyone noticed him!” 

“Neither did you, I suppose?” 

Little My went quiet. She glared at Moomin and Moomin immediately regretted his words. What had happened in the past wasn’t her fault. 

“There, there, don’t fight!” Moominmamma raised her voice for maybe the first time in years. “We all want Snufkin back and that’s what counts right now. The past is in the past, don’t spend all of your energy dwelling on that.” 

Moomin looked down at the floor, ashamed. 

“You’re right mamma. I’m sorry, My. It wasn’t your doing. What happened, I mean.” 

Little My didn’t say anything, but she stopped glaring and instead turned her face to the door again. But this time she didn’t look like the animal waiting for its prey. She just looked sad and bitter, which made Moomin feel even more guilty.

“I truly am sorry”, he repeated. 

“Yes, yes, I know. It’s alright.”

Moomin didn’t believe her.

“Uhm…” the inspector cleared his throat. He looked terribly awkward. It would have been funny, had the circumstances been less dire. “Couldn’t we send word to Mymble and ask her about Snufkin’s birth?”

“I suppose we could,” Moominpappa said. “Although it would take a few days before it reaches her and I don’t think she owns a phone... But yes, that might be a good idea, or what do you think, dear?” He turned to Moominmamma, who nodded. 

“We have to do anything we can.” 

She opened her handbag and soon found a piece of paper and a pencil. On that she wrote:  
Dear Mymble,  
I’m sorry to inform you that your son, Snufkin, has been imprisoned in a city named River Town. The whole of our family came here as soon as we could and we think something has gone wrong. Therefore, we would be very grateful to you if you could send us a note of when Snufkin was born. You see, we need to know his age.  
Yours sincerely/  
Moominmamma and family. 

P.S. Please reply to: River Town Prison

“There”, she said, satisfied and neatly folded the short letter in her paws. “I’ll send this as soon as that constable are back and we’ve heard the guard’s account.” 

“If he ever comes back!” Moomin rolled his eyes and slumped back in his chair, but just then, in that exact moment, there was a clicking and clanging as heavy doors swung open and there he was, the city inspector in the company of a slightly smaller hemulen. 

“Why is it that all these law-people are always hemulens?”mumbled Little My. She bared her teeth just a bit, and Moominmamma, sensing what was coming, grabbed her arm and held her back. 

The pair came to stand in front of them.

“This is the guard who witnessed the assault at the major’s garden party”, the inspector informed them. The guard offered them a slight bow of the head. 

“Good evening”, he greeted. He looked stiff and formal and his face expression were more or less blank. A little scary, Moomin thought. 

They all took their seats again and the guard began his tale, which turned out to be very similar to the one of the inspector’s. Almost too familiar. Moomin and Little My shared looks.: 

_They’ve talked this through._

Of course, the inspector hadn’t been there until the fire broke out, but their accounts were still very much the same. 

“...and then I heard someone scream and when I turned around, I saw the old hemulen lady, completely soaked, and close to her were this mumrik who held an empty glass. I approached them and asked her what was going on, and when she told me that he had thrown his drink at her, I thought it best to see him out. I said as much to him, but he refused and kicked me…”

__“You’re lying!” growled Little My growled. She bared her teeth again and Moominmamma quickly grabbed her arm. “He kicked himself free because you threatened to put him in a orphanage!”_ _

__“Quiet, My!” hushed Moominmamma. “This is not the right-”_ _

__“But it’s true!”_ _

__The guard and the inspector fixed their stern gazes upon her._ _

__“Young lady, that is a very serious accusation”, the inspector warned her._ _

__Little My didn’t look intimidated in the least._ _

__“Is it? In that case, I’d like you to see me proven wrong.”_ _

__Moomin stared at her. At certain times she could be so admirable, he’ll give her that. Even the guard and the inspector seemed to agree on that to some extent. They both sat there, dumbfounded by Little My’s courage for an entire minute before Moominmamma were the first to break the silence:_ _

__“My, I think we should hear the guard out anyway”, she said gently. She turned to the two hemulens._ _

__“Please, go on.”_ _

__The confusion on the guard’s face as he struggled to get back on track with his story was actually quite amusing. Especially on a face that had looked so blank before._ _

__“Very well, uhm… Where was I? Oh, yes! When he ran away, I hurried after him as fast as I could, though with the pain after being kicked, I must admit it was rather difficult. And with the crowds! It turned out to be easy for him to hide among them, so I called out for the other guards to join me. Chaos erupted. All guards shouted: ‘catch him!’ and the crowds broke apart as we plowed through them. When I finally got a clear sight of him again, he turned over one of the cressets, which put the whole lawn on fire. The flames spread quickly and I had to focus on getting everyone safe instead of running after the culprit. Fortunately, a guest saw him running in the direction of the forest and when the fire brigade and police arrived, that guest told the inspector here.”_ _

__“Yes”, the inspector agreed. “We searched the whole night. In the end we were starting to think that he had managed to get away, but then, miracle of miracles, he appeared under a bush!”_ _

__“I see.”_ _

__The Moominvalley inspector put a paw to his chin and looked thoughtfully at his former colleague. “And if I may ask, none of you asked the boy about his age?”_ _

__“Uhm, I thought he looked old enough to be punished”, the guard twittered honestly, but Little My snorted._ _

__“You thought he looked young enough to be in an orphanage.”_ _

__“Well, he certainly was young!”_ _

__The inspector from Moominvalley tilted his head._ _

__“Is that a confession? I mean, is My right? Did you say he ought to be in an orphanage? Because if that’s the case, why didn’t you tell the inspector here about that?”_ _

__“No, no, no!” The guard held up his paws in defence. “That’s not what I meant! What I meant was that he simply looked young, not young enough to be in an orphanage! Or maybe… but not at a closer look. I changed my mind then.”_ _

__“You did?” said Moominmamma, feigning her true suspicion. “And why is that?”_ _

__“It was hard to deduce his age! But when I saw him up close and in daylight, when we found him under the bush, I thought he looked older.”_ _

__“Old enough to be punished with two years?” asked Moominvalley inspector._ _

__“Yes”, the city inspector confirmed. “I expect you are aware of the rules. Any individual above fifteen can be punished, and I very much doubt that this particular individual is under fifteen of age.”_ _

__For a short moment, a hint of defeat showed in the faces of the Moomin family. That was right, they had to admit. Snufkin was unlikely to be under fifteen. He could be anywhere between fourteen to twenty. They really had no idea. Different species aged differently too, making their ages even harder to deduce. The closest they had to go by was Little My, and she certainly looked very young for her age. Though she was an exception among her kind. Most mymbles grew._ _

__But still, if Snufkin wasn’t underage, that meant that these people actually had the right to lock him up. Although not on false charges, of course._ _

__“Again, why didn’t you ask him?” said Little My._ _

__“I did, as a matter of fact, but he wouldn’t answer me”, said the inspector. Little My studied him under her hard stare._ _

__“Not entirely sure I believe you…” she muttered._ _

__“He wasn’t very keen on telling us anything”, the inspector went on. “His name, for example. We didn’t know that until you showed up.”_ _

__Little My gave a huff._ _

__“Why would he tell you that when you labeled him with a number?”_ _

__The inspector glared at her, and Moominmamma caught the tense moment to intervene:_ _

__“Very well, at least you know now, inspector. And we’ll find out Snufkin’s age soon enough, I’m sure. I’m going to post a letter to his mother and request a birth certificate.”_ _

__At this, the inspector suddenly turned a little pale._ _

__“Oh, uhm… I see. But why aren’t his mother here with you now then, if I may ask?”_ _

__“I’m afraid they don’t have much to do with one another these days”, Moominmamma calmly explained. “And she has so many children to care for.”_ _

__“I understand.”_ _

__They all looked at each other for a short, confused moment, before the Moominvalley inspector suddenly rose from his chair and brushed the dust off his knees._ _

__“Very well, then. After a lot of thinking I have now finally decided to re-open this case against Snufkin, and I intend to start tomorrow morning.”_ _

__Moomin couldn’t hide his gratitude. That was probably the best decision their inspector had ever made, he thought. His eyes, so tired with worried before, lit up once again as his entire soul were filled with this new glimmer of hope._ _

__“I think I should start with interviewing Snufkin himself”, the inspector went on. “Could you have him ready for that at eight o’clock? Is that alright with you?”_ _

__The other inspector nodded slowly._ _

__“Yes, that is... suitable. I’ll be here by then to show you to the interrogation rooms.”_ _

__“Good, thank you.”_ _

__The meeting was over. The guard from the major’s garden left first. Moominpappa asked the city inspector if he by any chance knew of a nice place close by where they could set up camp and the inspector recommended a spot just outside the forest. Before they left, Moominmamma ushered the same inspector aside._ _

__“I still have two questions. I wonder if you might show us where you found Snufkin? Apparently his hat fell off when you did and we plan to go and look for it. That hat is very precious to him, you see.”_ _

__“I see”, the inspector sounded positively annoyed. “And yes, I suppose I could, but not today. It’s too late and it will get dark soon. I’ll show you tomorrow.”_ _

__Moominmamma looked disappointed, but thanked him nonetheless. She then went on to quietly ask about the rest of Snufkin’s belongings._ _

__“Do you keep them somewhere?”_ _

__The inspector’s eyes narrowed slightly. He placed his large hemulen paws to his sides in a confident gesture._ _

__“You really do think you will be able to free him, don’t you?”_ _

__Moominmamma were quick to reassure him that that was not the case at all. In the corner of her eye she could just make out her son and Little My watching her carefully. They were just as concerned as her._ _

__“I only wish to know. He seemed distressed about it, that’s why I’m asking.”  
“Ah… I see. Very well, the backpack with its contents, except for the food, we stored aside among the other belongings of our prisoners. Those clothes on the other hand were in such a bad shape that I saw no reason to keep them.” _ _

__“You mean… You mean you threw them away?”_ _

__She heard Moomin and Little My gasp in unison._ _

__The inspector looked at her, obviously confused as to why some pieces of ragged clothes would upset her so._ _

__“Yes, we did”, he said. “Why, once he is free he can easily buy some new clothes. It’s not the first time we’ve done that.”_ _

__“No, I expect it’s not”, said Moominmamma. She sighed in moment of temporary defeat._ _

__“Alright then, I suppose there isn’t much more we can do right now then. Come on, my dears, let’s go and post this letter.”_ _

__She turned around and joined her waiting children by the big doors. The inspector made sure they were let out through the gates before he nodded his goodbye and returned inside._ _

__Moomin accompanied Moominmamma into town to post the letter to Mymble, while Little My and the inspector helped Moominpappa set up camp in the outskirts of the forest. They wanted to be as close to the prison as was acceptable._ _

__“Maybe I’ve should have sent Pappa with this instead”, Moominmamma said as they caught sight of what looked like a shopping street. “I won’t dare to think of Pappa’s cooking and probably he would neither, so now everybody will have to wait until we get back.”_ _

__“Yes, but that’s fine with me”, Moomin assured her. “And besides, I’m not that hungry.”_ _

__How could he be? The only thing he could think of was Snufkin, alone and ill in his cell and how much he wanted him out and with them. Moominmamma seemed to read his thoughts, because she took his paw and squeezed it tightly._ _

__“Nor am I, truth be told. But we need to eat regardless, I’m afraid. It’s been a very long day and Snufkin will have no use for us unless we have the strength to fight for him.”_ _

__“I want him out now, mamma. You told me he was sick. And what about his clothes? What’s he going to wear?”_ _

__Moomin felt so helpless and he hated it. The fact that Snufkin didn’t even want his help didn’t make it at all better._ _

__Moominmamma stopped. She let go of his hand, but turned to face him. Her brown, kind eyes came to meet his. They had the colour of hot chocolate on a cold, rainy day._ _

__“We’ll take him home with us, I promise”, she said and Moomin wanted to believe her, but…_ _

__“How can you know? What if they decide that they won’t let him go? That they’ll keep him whatever we say?”_ _

__“They can’t keep him whatever we say. Personally I think the way they’ve obviously mistreated him could be quite enough a reason for us to win. As far as prisons go, I’ve never known them to have the right to do things like that to their inmates.”_ _

__Moomin winced and felt the anger rising up inside him again. Little My had been quite clear about what she had seen in that cell. Yes, he thought bitterly. Mamma must be right about that._ _

__They found a post box and slipped the letter in, then went back towards the prison and their waiting cart. When they got there, Moominpappa had lit a fire and Moominmamma immediately set to prepare some light supper. None of them had much of an appetite that evening, but Moominmamma had been right to insist that they still had to eat. She made them a simple cabbage soup and also picked up a loaf of bread from the big basked and a bottle of strawberry lemonade from last year. Little My assisted her in cutting the bread into pieces while Moomin waited aimlessly by the fire. Moominpappa fetched them some blankets since the evening were turning a bit cold. They would need to cover themselves properly while sleeping later._ _

__They gathered in a circle around the fire and ate, mostly under silence. The hot soup was good, as everything was that was made by Moominmamma and the chilly breezes sent through the trees behind them made it all the more appreciated._ _

__

__Moomin couldn’t sleep. He lay beside Moominmamma, who in turn lay nex to Pappa. In Mamma’s sewing basket slept Little My and the inspector with just a bit of distance from the rest of them, stretched out in a corner._ _

__Moomin felt as if he had tried every sleeping position there was. He wasn’t cold. The thick blankets and the closeness to Mamma made sure of that. Yet sleep would not come. He had far too important things to go through, over and over again. In particular there was one thing bothering him and it was, peculiarly enough that strange look of knowledge on My’s face back at the prison. he had thought he had forgot it, but obviously not, for now it came back to him and wouldn’t go away. He wondered what could have made her so fueled with anger. What was it that she wasn’t telling them?_ _

__In a desperate attempt to get at least a tiny piece of mind, he drew himself across the wooden floor towards the sewing basket._ _

__“My?”_ _

__Carefully he reached out a paw and shook her shoulder. One didn’t like to wake up Little My like this. She usually didn’t respond well and he knew there was a chance he would get a fresh new bite now._ _

__But luckily, she seemed too groggy for that. Instead she just muttered something inaudible and slowly turned to face him._ _

__“What’s the matter? I’m trying to sleep, you fool.”_ _

__“Well, I can’t sleep”, said Moomin._ _

__“Sorry for you. But I will. Goodnight.”_ _

__She turned her back on him again, but Moomin touched her shoulder once more._ _

__“Stop it”, she mumbled._ _

__“There’s something I must ask you”, Moomin whispered, getting more eager by each second._ _

__“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”_ _

__“No, I need to know now.”_ _

__“Okay, what is it then?” She uttered a big yawn and stretched her small arms._ _

__“Ehm…” He realized now, that he wasn’t entirely sure how to put this. After all, it had merely been a bad feeling. “It was the way you looked after you had told us about your meeting with Snufkin”, he went on finally. “I, well… I feel as if you left something out. Something important.”_ _

__There was a momentarily silence, and then Little My said, short and clear and slightly irritated:_ _

__“I did not.”_ _

__“Are you sure?” Moomin was certain he had seen something strange in her face back at the prison, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it might have been._ _

__“Yes, I’m sure. Now, please, go back to sleep!”_ _

__Moomin sighed and slowly made it back to his mattress. Little My had made it quite clear that the discussion was over. Still, he didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know if he believed her. With no more answers whatsoever, he eventually settled into a fitful rest._ _

__In the basket however, Little My had pretended to lose contact with the world as soon as she looked away from Moomin. She cursed herself for being so careless about letting her feelings show. Because she had actually left something out. A thought. A certain suspicion. And obviously it had been clear on her face.  
The look on Snufkin’s face when she asked him about the clothes. She couldn’t seem to get that out of her head. That look of utter humiliation and the way he curled in on himself protectively. It made her shiver and twist uncomfortably. Snufkin hadn’t said anything. Of course he hadn’t and unless he permitted her to do so, she wouldn’t either._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's another one! Sorry for this late update, but as you might have guessed: this haven't been my priority as of late. Don't worry yet though, I'm still motivated on finishing it eventually! 
> 
> As before, stay safe everyone during these strange times and wash your hands!  
> And as always, feedback is most welcome! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Snufkin was roughly awoken the next morning by the usual breakfast call. All the other inmates were let out and marched off to the canteen. But not Snufkin. Not since the running away-incident. For the first few days after that, he had actually been brought a tray of porridge directly to his cell, but lately, they seemed to forget that. As things were now though, Snufkin didn’t mind. He didn’t feel like eating anyway and was too ill to keep anything down for long. Which is why he was surprised when a guard turned up and unlocked his door. The guard carried a tray of porridge that he put down on the floor. 

“Eat quickly and make yourself ready. You’re to be interrogated by the inspector of Moominvalley in half an hour.” 

Snufkin sat up, too fast and was overcome with a wave of dizziness. He wasn’t even sure of what had made him so sick, but he deduced that the constant cold, the lack of fresh air and the untreated wounds on his body might play their part in it.   
But being interrogated by the Moominvalley inspector? That was good news. At least he hoped it was. Even if he didn’t have all too much faith in the occasionally fatuous hemulen, he was still kind and in a position to help him. 

He ignored the tray and instead dragged his legs over the floor to the sink, where he soaked his face and gulped a few mouthfuls of water. Then he quickly used the loo and washed his paws. The extra blanket had done him good. He wasn’t nearly as cold as he had been on all the other nights and his shivers were only visible to the more careful eye. 

“I’m ready.”

There was a familiar rattle as the guard brought up the handcuffs and fastened them around Snufkins still healing wrists. 

“Goodness, what a stench!” the guard uttered in pure disgust. “I should put you in one of those laundry barrels!”

“Well, that’s how you end up when you’re not allowed to wash”, Snufkin growled back. “Nothing unusual about that.” 

In response, he was given a hard push forward that made him fall to his knees. He heard a scoff from the guard and was then pulled up by the collar and given another push. Snufkin nearly fell again, but this time the hemulen held him up.

“Walk”, he ordered. 

By some miracle Snufkin managed to gain what little balance he had left, and they marched on. The guard led the way, steering Snufkin by the shoulder. Even though the corridor was grey and dim, the little mumrik found it too light for his thumping head. It felt heavy on his thin shoulders and his wrists stung in protest against the steel securing them. He was cold again, yet sweaty. 

They came across none until the guard made halt in front of a door with a small window. He picked a keychain from his pocket and unlocked the door with an audible click. He led Snufkin inside and when Snufkin slowly raised his head to take in the surroundings, his tired eyes immediately fell upon the inspector who was sitting behind the desk in front of them. The familiar inspector looked exactly as Snufkin remembered him; clad in his usual blue uniform and the old helmet perched on his head above his large, staring eyes. Those big eyes seemed to grow to the size of plates as he took in Snufkin’s appearance. 

“Hello, Snufkin”, he finally said. 

“Hello, inspector”, Snufkin croaked through his sore throat. 

The inspector cast a glance at the guard and then made a gesture towards Snufkin’s cuffs. 

“That won’t be necessary. Take them off.” 

The guard grumpily did as requested and then he retreated.

“I’ll wait in the room next door. I’ll be back in an hour.”

The inspector nodded and when the door clanged shut, he offered Snufkin to take a seat. 

Snufkin collapsed into the chair that had obviously been placed there for him, right in front of the table. He was dizzy again and his brain felt like jelly. It was a relief not having to stand upright any longer.

The inspector pointed to a strange machine standing on the table. It looked very much like a radio. 

“I’ve been given this thing to record the interrogation”, explained the inspector. “It’s quite peculiar. I’ve never used something like this before, but they’ve showed me how to handle it, so I’m sure it will be fine… Um, by the way, would you like something to eat or drink before we start? You don’t look well, if I may say so.” 

Without looking at him fully, Snufkin could hear discomfort in the inspector’s voice. Snufkin didn’t blame him. He felt pretty uncomfortable himself, but no less than he had within the last month. Nevertheless, it was a kind offer from the inspector, but the mere thought of food still made him feel sick. Though of course, he might need something to keep him from fainting during the interview… 

“What is there to have?” he asked. 

“Uh, well, I had a cup of tea and biscuits myself just before now. I could get you that, if you’d like?” 

Snufkin nodded. Tea might be just about what he could manage.

“I’ll be right back.” 

The inspector opened another door behind his chair and left the room. Snufkin hung his head. He wanted to sleep. He ached all over and he just wanted everything to stop. Yes, sleep would be nice. Sleep for a long, long time… 

He was just about to doze off, when the inspector came back. Snufkin was jerked awake by the door being opened and then a hot, big cup of tea and a small plate of biscuits were put down under his nose.

“There you go.” 

Snufkin looked at the tea. It was white with milk. Snufkin always had his tea black, as with coffee, but for the moment, this would have to do. With shaking paws he reached for it and his sore wrists hurt when he put the cup to his lips and drank slowly.   
It was a common, plain tea, nothing special, but the milk was thick. The kind you give young children and Snufkin felt the blessed sweet taste of honey touching his tongue as he gulped down the hot drink. It warmed him from inside and out. His stomach hurt a little in response to the unexpected nourishment, but Snufkin took it slow and kept drinking until the cup was empty. 

“Thank you”, he mumbled.

He actually felt somewhat refreshed, more awake. It was rather telling, he thought, of how sick he really must be if one cup of tea could do that to him. 

“You’re welcome. Won’t you have some biscuits, too?” 

At that though, Snufkin shook his head. There was no way he could take them without the need of throwing up too soon. 

“Alright, I’ll let them be if you change your mind. Well then”, the inspector took out a notebook from his breast pocket, turned up a page and started writing. When he was done, he looked up at Snufkin with a more firm expression on his face.

“Let’s start then. Today’s date is the fourth of april…” he wrote. “Tuesday. Hearing with Snufkin. Alright, I’m going to ask you a couple of questions now, the first one being: when did you arrive in River Town?” 

But Snufkin didn’t answer. He was eyeing the recorder. 

“Shouldn’t that be put on?” he asked. 

“Oh, goodness! You’re right! I totally forgot!”

The inspector dropped the pencil and fidgeted with the thing for possibly a whole minute before he found the “on- button” and pressed it. He repeated everything he had written down so that it was included in the recording; the date and so on, before asking Snufkin again:

“When did you arrive at River Town?” 

“It was the twelfth of mars. I heard somebody mention the date at the party.” 

“I see. So… you didn’t know before that?” The inspector scribbled something down on his notepad, Snufkin’s answers most probably. 

“No.” 

“Is it your habit not to keep track of dates?” 

“Well, I don’t keep a calendar and I usually don’t need to. I know when spring is coming anyway.” 

Like he knew when autumn and winter came. And when he traveled on his own with only his own needs to care for, he could live according to his own natural clock, and that clock didn’t require specific dates or hours. Only in Moominvalley, when he was among other people, would things like that be important. 

The inspector fixed him with a confused gaze. 

“How do you know that?” 

Snufkin almost, just almost smiled a little. 

“I always travel south and when it gets hotter in the south, it tends to get hotter in the north as well. Although slowly. So when it’s been like that for a time and all the birds who've gone south for the winter are starting to head back, I simply follow them.” 

“You follow the birds?” the inspector looked even more perplexed now, but wrote nevertheless. “But what if they get ahead of you on the way?” 

Snufkin shook his head. 

“No offense to you, inspector, but there are a lot of birds out there. The chance that every single one of them would get ahead of me is very small. There’s always someone who’s not in a hurry.” 

_And I have forebodings occasionally. And when certain types of flowers start to grow in the south, I know it’s time to go back. And when the river that goes all the way from the north gets wilder because of all that melted ice. ___

__A few new wrinkles appeared on the inspector’s forehead as he thought about this. Snufkin would perhaps have thought it a little funny, had he not been so tired and worn out._ _

__“Alright, that makes sense”, the inspector decided in the end and wrote down another few words. “Let’s move on to the next question: have you been to River Town before?”_ _

__Snufkin nodded._ _

__“A few times over the years” he said truthfully. “But it’s not my usual route and I’ve never walked through the whole city before. I’ve only stopped by if I need to buy food and then I’d just look up the nearest shop before I’d be off again.”_ _

__“I see. So you didn’t know it was the major’s birthday?”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__“Alright. How did you get to know then?”_ _

__“A creature told me.”_ _

__“A creature? What creature?”_ _

__“A creature in town. I saw him accidently drop all the things he was carrying so I offered to help him. I asked him what all the fuss was about.”_ _

__“And he told you it was for the major’s birthday?”_ _

__“Yes.”_ _

__Snufkin rubbed a paw over his aching head. He felt nauseous again and his head was so heavy. The chair was hard and uncomfortable. He wanted to lie down. At first he had liked the thought of talking to the inspector, but now it just felt like an endless amount of questions that would never end and he wanted nothing else than for it to be over with. Couldn’t the inspector simply let him tell his version of the events and then leave him be? Carefully he tilted his head back against the chair and tried to take some deep breaths._ _

__“What’s the matter? Snufkin?”_ _

__It sounded like a distant cloud speaking, but Snufkin knew it wasn’t and he forced his eyes open. The inspector was staring straight at him._ _

__“Guess”, Snufkin snapped. “I’m ill.”_ _

__Maybe the inspector didn’t deserve it, but right now he didn’t care. Couldn’t he see how tired he was?_ _

__Many thoughts ran through his head. He had to go on with the interrogation. Maybe this was his only chance and if he crashed right in the middle of it, well, then it would have to wait until he got better. Only, he wouldn’t get better, would he? Not in here…  
In the corner of his eye he spotted the recorder. A red lamp told him it was still going and suddenly he was struck by an idea. A simple one, but it might just work._ _

__“They leave me without food, I’ve got untreated wounds and they won’t let me wash.”_ _

__There. It was recorded. If anyone but the guards or River Town inspector heard it, they would have to investigate, wouldn’t they?_ _

__It was quiet for a moment, before the inspector went on:_ _

__“Snufkin, we’re here to discuss what happened on the major’s birthday. I need to be sure I’ve got my facts right.”_ _

__He hadn’t ignored Snufkin’s words. That was quite clear from the increasingly worried expression on his long face. He was only trying to keep his focus and get through with the hearing. That was good enough for Snufkin._ _

__“I’d be glad to tell you what happened.”_ _

__Slowly, he began his tale. He told the inspector about the creature’s invitation, the children and their nasty carer and how he had thrown a glass of drink at her after she beat those children. He then continued with telling about the security guard turning up, threatening to put Snufkin himself in an orphanage, and how he had run away, accidently pulling over a cresset._ _

__“But I can’t be sure whether it was really me or the guard who was aiming for me”, he added. “Though I suppose that doesn’t matter. I played my part in it, after all.” He looked up at the inspector. “But I never meant it.”_ _

__“I see.” The inspector nodded. Snufkin could just make out the motion. His vision was getting rather blurry now and there was a ringing in his ears, but he had managed to get through with his story. His job was done. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad just to faint now?_ _

__“Snufkin, do you know how old you are?”_ _

__What? Wasn’t he done after all?_ _

__“I...I…” he mumbled incoherently. Joxter had told him how old he was, but that had been years ago, right after Moominpappa’s great tale. When was that? And when was now? Could it be five years ago? Or four?_ _

__“Fifteen, I think… or maybe fourteen. Dad knew.”_ _

__He vaguely heard the inspector hum and say “We’ll take a break” and then he didn’t remember anything else as the world went black._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year Everyone! :) I know it's been a while, but I've had to focus on other projects. Also, lately I've been rather short of inspiration when it comes to this one. But at least I have an idea about how I want this story to end, so hopefully I'll get there someday. 
> 
> Stay safe!


	10. Chapter 10

“Snufkin? Do you hear me? Snufkin?” 

Whoever that voice belonged to, Snufkin wished him to shut up. His ears rang and he had a nasty headache. Where was he? What happened? He blinked several times and his vision cleared, to reveal the inspector leaning over him. Ah, the interrogation room. His feet were raised up against a chair. He remembered. The inspector’s eyes appeared even bigger than usually and he was leaning so close that if Snufkin was to try to rise, he would bump into the huge nose. 

“Snufkin? Finally! You gave me quite a fright! How do you feel? You just fell out of your chair!” 

The inspector’s voice was like an echo to Snufkin. His ears didn’t stop ringing.

“I’m…” He began, without knowing how to continue. He hadn’t had time to feel yet. “My head hurts”, he added after a moment’s thought. 

“Yeah… I couldn’t catch you before you hit the floor. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s alright”, said Snufkin, though his head was pounding. The ringing however, was fading at last. “But I think I might have a concussion.”

“Oh. Well, there is a room with a sofa just behind that door”, the inspector pointed towards the door behind the desk. “If you’d like to lie down for a bit?” 

“Yes, please. Just… give me a moment.”

The inspector waited patiently while Snufkin gathered enough strength to rise. Slowly, and with help from the inspector, he managed to get back on his feet and hobble all the way to the other room. It was as grey as ever, yet it took Snufkin by surprise. It was without doubt the most comfortable room he had ever come across inside the prison. In its centre there was a wooden table surrounded by a couple of wooden chairs. Against one wall was a sofa and against the opposite one, a stove. Altogether it looked like one of those rooms where the staff took their coffee breaks. Gratefully, Snufkin lay down on the sofa and placed his feet upon the armrest. To his luck, there was even a small, dusty pillow for his aching head. It was such a relief to lie down that he felt as if he should never want to get up again. Why couldn’t they simply let him stay in this room with the sofa and the stove? He could only imagine the lovely, amazing heat it must release when somebody used it. Suddenly he wished the inspector would make himself some more tea. But the hemulen simply stood there, fidgeting nervously while watching him carefully. Snufkin took a deep breath. The recorder was left in the interrogation room and he thought he remembered something about the inspector saying “a break”, but he wasn’t certain. Anyway, despite this “incident” or what one may call it, they hadn’t got any time to lose. They had to go on with the interrogation. 

“Shall I fetch you a glass of water?” asked the inspector.

“Yes, that would be very kind, if you please.” 

The inspector went and filled a small glass by the sink. He handed it to Snufkin, who took it gratefully. The water felt refreshingly cool in his mouth. 

“Thank you”, he offered between the sips.

“It’s nothing.” 

Snufkin didn’t know where to put the half-finished glass so he let it be in his right hand, resting by his side on the sofa. 

“Well”, he sighed. “I’m sorry about this. I guess you can’t move that recorder in here?” 

“I said we are taking a break”, the inspector objected, but he didn’t come off nearly as authoritative as he tried to be. He unceremoniously slumped down into one of the wooden chairs. 

“Besides”, he went on. “I think you have already told me enough. I shall present the recordings to the higher officers of River Town. I think there is a lot to discuss about their methods, I am afraid. Also, I really think you should see a doctor. I will try and arrange that too.”

But Snufkin didn’t hear the last part, for he had finally succumbed to a much needed sleep. 

***

“It’s pointless! It’s not here! It’s nowhere!” 

The piercing voice of Little My echoed from somewhere behind the trees. Moomin was just about to dive into what was probably the hundreth bush that day. His soft, white paws were covered in brown and black dirt and part of him agreed wholeheartedly with Little My’s words. But he wouldn’t admit it, so he kept looking. They both did, although most of the day had already passed and they were getting tired. 

Throughout the entire day they had searched for Snufkin’s hat. That grumpy inspector had said it was left in the forest when Snufkin was taken, and he had also told them the approximate direction. Still, there was no sign of the hat. And maybe it was no wonder. Over a month had passed. Anything could happen to a hat during that time. Perhaps another creature took it and decided to use it for a tent? Or, of course, it could have simply blown away. 

“Not helping that it´s green either!” cried Little My. “When we find it, I swear I’m going to paint it red and yellow like a warning sign! At least then it’ll stand out!” 

“Yeah, I’m sure Snufkin would appreciate that…” Moomin muttered in response. The branches poked at his big nose and leaves got stuck in his fur. No hat in this bush. He sighed. That hat would truly be a loss for Snufkin if they didn’t find it. He huffed at the absurd idea of buying a new one. His vagabond friend would rather go hatless. But Moomin didn’t want him to. Though they would have to stop looking soon, for the darkness was settling in and would absorb the woods. Moomin turned around and gazed in the direction of their camp while wondering whether he should go and fetch a lantern? 

“Hey! Look!” Little My pointed towards a clearing near the outer ends of the forest. Moomin looked and as the darkness hadn’t yet reached the point of pitch blackness, he saw clearly the small creature moving around before them. It bore a striking similarity to that of Sniff, he noted. 

“Hello?” he cried and the creature jumped. It stared wide-eyed in their direction, at once on full alert like a frightened deer. 

“Oh, I’m sorry”, Moomin added quickly, his voice gentle. “I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just that we’re looking for a large green hat that was lost here in the forest. You don’t happen to have seen it, have you?” 

“A- a large green hat?” the creature stuttered. 

“Yes, a large green hat”, repeated Little My without even trying to hide her annoyance. “We’ve been looking all day.” 

“I see. Is it… is it pointed, like a witch’s?” 

“Yes, yes!” cried Moomin. “Did you find it?” 

“Yes, a week ago or so. But why? What do you want with it?” 

“That’s my brother’s hat!” cried Little My. “And we want to give it back to him! Now, where is it?” 

She bared her teeth and the poor creature took a step back. Moomin shot the mymble a warning glare. 

“Don’t mind her, please”, he said. “We’re both awfully tired. Though that hat is very precious to our friend. You don’t know where it is now?”

“Yes, of course I do! I took it back home. I wished, like you, to give it back to its owner if I ran into him again. But unfortunately I didn’t.” 

Upon hearing this, Moomin and Little My both gasped in chorus. 

“Wait, you mean you’ve met Snufkin?” Moomin could hardly believe his ears. If this creature in front of him had met Snufkin before he was captured, then he might perhaps know a bit of what happened.

But all of sudden, the creature put on a look of suspicion. 

“I did, but I got the strong impression that he didn’t know anyone in town.” 

“He doesn’t”, said Little My. “We traveled here from Moominvalley as soon as we knew something went wrong at some garden party and he was put into prison!”

“Oh, dear!” The suspicion on the creature’s face vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “Well, there was quite a disaster, to be honest! What, with the fire and everything! The garden was all burnt down to ashes! Though I had hoped in my heart that your friend got away. He seemed so nice… I spotted him briefly as he climbed over the fence, but that’s the last I ever saw of him. Oh, to think that he was thrown behind bars…” The creature shook its head sadly. “But what are we standing here for? Come, and I’ll give you the hat back!” 

Moomin and Little My were all too happy to follow. As they walked along the more-or-less empty streets, the creature told them the full story of how he had first met Snufkin on that fateful day; how the mumrik had been so helpful and carried his things half across town and how it had been him, the creature, who had told Snufkin about the party to begin with. 

“Did you see what happened? At the party?” Moomin asked. 

The creature shook his head while staring at its feet.

“I’m afraid not. Everything was in order one second and then… out of nowhere there was a ruckus and the guards were hunting your friend through the crowd. Then there were flames! I guess that a cresset must have been pulled over, for people were screaming and fleeing the place and in the midst of this chaos, I saw your friend climb the fence while a guard shouted at him.” 

They came to a stop in front of a bakery. The air outside was yet filled with the wonderful smell of freshly baked bread and sweet pastry. The creature pointed up.

“I live on the top floor”, he said. It was a three store building. “You wait here while I go in and get it. I wouldn’t want to wake my family. They make such a mess when they’re woken up for nothing, you see.” 

With those words the creature slipped inside as quiet as such a clumsy creature could, leaving Moomin and Little My to their own devices on the street. Moomin gazed out over the town that was now about to fall asleep. Candles and lanterns could be seen in the windows and somewhere a mother sang a soft lullaby. There was a thin fog sweeping through the otherwise gentle night air. The sky above them held stars and wherever they went in this city, they never ceased to hear the forever running stream of the river that defined the place. 

“This is beautiful”, he whispered, mostly to himself, but Little My heard him nonetheless. 

“Yeah. It’s a shame though, that the only thing we’ll ever associate it with is Snufkin’s suffering.”

“You’re right.” 

The door opened and the creature smiled broadly as he handed over Snufkin’s green old hat and two paper bags. At their questioning looks, he told them:

“These are some of today’s pastries and buns. Please take them. I hope they’ll be enough for your family and if we’re lucky, Snufkin will be able to taste them as well. Send him my best, and”, he stepped out of the door. “If I can help you in any way while you’re still here, just come and knock on this door and ask for ‘Spillers’. That’s what they call me.” 

Moomin thanked him over and over. Little My took the bags in her small paws and peeked inside.   
“Hey, Moomin! These look delicious!” 

“They are, I promise”, Spillers said, proudly raising his chin a bit. 

They said goodbye to Spillers and walked back to the camp. All the while Moomin hugged the hat close to his chest. He nuzzled into it. Snufkin had worn it for so long that the smell of his tobacco had stuck in the old fabric, despite him being apart from the item for so long. It was almost like meeting Snufkin again, or part of him, after the long winter. Moomin couldn’t wait to put the hat back upon its owner’s head. It was unfair, he thought, that he hadn’t been allowed to see Snufkin yet. So he hugged the hat even closer, nearly causing new wrinkles to form on it. Snufkin wouldn’t mind, he was sure. Little My walked by his side, pretending not to see the strong emotions that his face betrayed. 

***

The first thing Snufkin felt when he woke up was disorientation. All around him it was black, as the inside of a bear cave and against all reason, he panicked. Where was he? Well, he couldn’t possibly be outside the prison, but where was he? Where was he?   
As his breaths shortened and his eyes shot wide open in a desperate attempt to see, he also began flailing, trying to get a sense of his surroundings. In doing so, he rolled over an edge appearing from nowhere and fell hard upon a floor. The world spun and he remembered the probable concussion. He felt sick and didn’t dare to move because he didn’t know if he would find an available bin in this overwhelming blackness. But then it dawned on him; as he lay there his eyes adjusted somewhat to the dark and he could make out certain, recognizable shapes of furniture.   
He was back in his cell. That realization alone was almost enough to make him cry. It had felt so wonderful to lie down on the sofa behind the interrogation room. It had felt so wonderful to see that stove and a coffee pot. The next second he felt pathetic for thinking like that. What had he come to, when the absence of a sofa would cause him to weep?   
What if he never got out? When he first entered the interrogation room and met the Moominvalley inspector, he had felt such a glimmer of hope. But now, here in the cold cell, alone and sick, he wondered if there had been anything to it at all. Maybe the other inspector had told him no and the Moomin family were now on their way back to Moominvalley already? A small part of him started to think that perhaps the entire interrogation had been a dream and that in reality he had been in his cell the whole time. He shook his head, which he regretted at once as it set the world spinning again. Couldn’t think like that. Couldn’t afford losing his sanity, on top of everything.   
In the fall he had managed to drag the blankets along with him. They were curled around his legs and since Snufkin didn’t want to risk throwing up, he didn’t rise. Instead he carefully pulled the blankets around himself and curled up on the floor. For safety’s sake, he lay on his side in recovery position.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you might have guessed by now, this is going to be longer than the initial 10 chapters. Not too long though, so I'll bet it on 12 for now and then we'll see. Hopefully quite a lot will happen in the next one! 
> 
> Stay safe everyone :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! First piece I'm uploading on this site! :) I wanted to try and write a story about Snufkin getting into a more difficult conflict with the police since, well… I don't seem to find many works with that as a theme, and I find it quite interesting. So, I'll see how this is going, although I've already written som first drafts of the following chapters, so hopefully I'll be able to publish them too soon enough :)


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